[Intraosseous infusion in children].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the benefits and drawbacks of intraosseous infusion (IOI) for emergency therapy in children.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective, non comparative study of IOI carried out between January 1994 and June 1998.

PATIENTS: Forty-one children requiring without delay IOI either in the emergency medical ambulance or the emergency admission and intensive therapy units.

METHODS

The tibia was punctured by paediatricians either with Mallarmé's trocars in 1994 or Cook Critical Care trocars from 1995 on.

RESULTS

Overall, 46 IOI have been carried out in 41 children with a median age of 18 months (range: 8 days-9 years). The main indications for IOI were the management of near drowning, road traffic accidents and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Complications included one articular puncture and nine subcutaneous extravasations, requiring the puncture of the other limb in five cases.

CONCLUSION

IOI is an easy technique for vascular access. It is indicated in emergency cases when, after a delay of five minutes, other techniques have failed.