Objective  To observe the application effect of ultrasound-guided axillary venous puncture and catheterization in obese patients.

  Methods  Fifty obese patients with deep venous puncture and catheterization were randomly divided into observation group (treated with ultrasound-guided axillary venous puncture and catheterization) and control group (treated with subclavian venous puncture and catheterization under body surface positioning), with 25 cases in each group. Successful rate of puncture, puncture time, times of attempted puncture and complications within 24 hours and 1 week after puncture were compared between the two groups.

  Results  In the observation group, the successful rate of puncture was 96.0%, the average puncture time was (8.2±0.8) minutes, the average times of puncture was (1.2±0.8), and the successful rate of the first attempted puncture was 68.0%; the successful rate of puncture in the control group was 72.0%, the average puncture time was (17.2±1.9) minutes, the average times of puncture was (2.4±0.2), and the successful rate of the first attempted puncture was 28.0%; there were significant differences in indexes mentioned above between two groups (P<0.05). The incidence rates of accidental arterial injury and hematoma within 24 hours after puncture in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the incidence rate of bleeding at the puncture point within 1 week after puncture in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).

  Conclusion  Ultrasound-guided axillary venous puncture and catheterization is more effective and safer than subclavian venous puncture and catheterization under body surface positioning.