Implications of Ultrasonographic Measurements of Internal Jugular Veins in the Placement of Central Venous Catheters in ENT Cancer Patients

Objective: To assess the possible differences between right and left internal jugular veins in head and neck cancer patients, in order to choose one of them for cannulation. Patients and Methods: A prospective study was designed including 102 internal jugular veins of 51 head and neck cancer patients evaluated by means of duplex Doppler ultrasonography. Patency, presence of thrombosis, characteristics of the vein wall, compressibility, area of vein both at rest and during Valsalva maneuver, expiratory flow speed, Valsalva flow speed, and jugular flow on each side were registered in all veins. Results: Thrombosis with impaired compressibility was found in 0.9% of the veins. All parameters were higher on the right side, but only expiratory flow speed (p = 0.049), area during Valsalva (p = 0.047), and jugular flow (p = 0.047) showed a significant difference. Conclusion: In head and neck cancer patients, the area parameters of the right internal jugular vein suggest more favorable anatomical conditions for the placement of central venous catheters than the left one.