Venous cutdown is an emergency procedure in which the vein is exposed surgically and then a cannula is inserted into the vein under direct vision. It is used for venous access in cases of trauma, and hypovolemic shock when the use of a peripheral venous catheter is either difficult or impossible.
A surgical procedure called venous cutdown involves exposing the vein and inserting a cannula directly into it. This is done to provide access to the veins in emergency situations like trauma and hypovolemic shock where traditional catheters are not feasible.