ABSTRACT
Anesthetists, pain specialists, and intensivists spend a considerable proportion of their
working time performing invasive, needle-based interventions. To access deeper
structures like central veins and nerves, they have traditionally relied upon surface-
based landmarks to guide the needle into the correct position. Patients, however, are not
uniform and present challenges due to wide variability, e.g., anatomical abnormalities,
obesity, children, and anticoagulation status. Regardless of experience, there is the ever-
present risk of needle misplacement with damage to adjacent structures, including
arteries, nerve bundles, and pleura. Occasionally, such damage may have devastating
implications for both the patient and the practitioner.