Arterial Line Placement

Procedures & Monitoring · ICU Decoded chapter 73 · Locked — free with a referral

By Dr Javed Akhtar · Last reviewed 3 October 2026

Cited to Standard procedural guidance.

Key points

For vasoactive infusions, ABG needs, tight BP control; radial is preferred (modified Allen test, ultrasound).
Watch for thrombosis, distal ischemia, infection, and pseudoaneurysm, and remove the line ASAP.
Before treating a damped or over-read number, check the transducer level at the phlebostatic axis and inspect the waveform.
Use the femoral site when radial fails, avoiding it in severe PAD.

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