Axillary artery cannulation was performed in 31 patients in whom the radial arteries were unavailable or unsuitable for cannulation. The artery was first cannulated with an 18-gauge needle, after which a Seldinger guide wire (0.032-inch diameter) was passed, which was used to introduce a 6-inch, 18-gauge Teflon ® catheter. The mean duration of cannulation was 3.2 days (range 19 hours to 8 days). All patients were assessed for complications of the procedure up to 72 hours after decannulation. No serious complications were encountered. It is concluded that the axillary artery is a safe alternative in the absence of an available radial artery when arterial cannulation is indicated.
