Osier's Node — A Complication of Prolonged Arterial Cannulation

Abstract

ARTERIAL cannulation for repeated blood gas determinations has become routine in the management of the patient in respiratory failure. Recent reports indicate that prolonged radial-artery cannulation with plastic catheters has a low complication rate.^{1 2 3} We describe here an unusual complication of arterial cannulation, the occurrence of an Osier node.Case ReportA 44-year-old man was admitted to the hospital in respiratory failure. An 18-gauge, 6-cm Teflon catheter needle was inserted percutaneously into the right radial artery. The puncture site was covered with bacitracin ointment and sterile gauze; the dressing was changed at 48 hours. seventy-two hours after the catheter had . . .