[Arterial catheters in newborn infants].

The article summarizes one year's experience of arterial lines in at third-level department for newborn children. We successfully placed an arterial line in 69 out of 71 children. 13 out of 84 arterial lines were umbilical catheters, the others were introduced percutaneously in the radial or posterior tibial arteries. Both umbilical arterial and peripheral arterial lines were functioning satisfactorily, with very few complications, and no serious ones. An arterial line is a relatively simple and a safe method for good monitoring of newborn children in need of intensive care.