[Ultrasound guided radial artery cannulation: procedure description and literature review].

Arterial catheterization is the second most common invasive procedure performed in critical care units. These devices are essential in certain types of patients (the hemodinamically unstable or those who require regular evaluation of the gasometric values). Complications related to arterial cannulation are relatively scarce. However, there are no reliable indicators to predict the occurrence of radial artery occlusions or ischemic lesions in the hand after a radial cannulation procedure has been performed. Ultrasound-guided catheter insertion has been used for years to guide central venous cannulation in critical care, but its use has been more limited for arterial catheterization. This paper aims to describe the technique of ultrasound-guided radial artery catheterization and reviews the most important research papers that have evaluated the safety and efficacy of this procedure in the adult population.