Equipment for Femoral Artery Cannulation, US-Guided Sterile procedure, barrier protection Antiseptic solution (eg, chlorhexidine - alcohol, chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, alcohol) Large sterile drapes, towels Sterile head caps, masks, gowns, gloves Face shields Ultrasound guidance Ultrasound machine with a high-frequency (eg, 5 to 10 MHz), linear array probe (transducer) Ultrasound gel, nonsterile and sterile Sterile probe cover to ensheathe probe and probe cord, and sterile rubber bands (alternatively, the probe may be placed within a sterile glove and the cord wrapped within a sterile drape) Seldinger (catheter-over-guidewire) technique Local anesthetic (eg, 1% lidocaine without epinephrine, about 5 mL) Small anesthetic needle (eg, 25 to 27 gauge, about 1 inch [3 cm] long) Large anesthetic needle (22 gauge, about 1.5 inches [4 cm] long) Femoral artery introducer needle (eg, 18 gauge, about 2 7/8 inches [7 cm] long) 3 - and 5-mL syringes (use slip-tip syringe for the introducer needle) Guidewire (30 cm long) Scalpel (#11 blade) Femoral arterial catheter (4 French [or 18 or 20 gauge] single lumen, ≥ 15 cm long) Sterile gauze (eg, 4 × 4 inch [10 × 10 cm] squares) Sterile saline for flushing pressure tubing and arterial catheter Nonabsorbable nylon or silk suture (eg, 3 - 0 or 4 - 0) Chlorhexidine patch, transparent occlusive dressing Arterial pressure monitoring Arterial line tubing (noncompliant pressure tubing) Blood pressure transducer and monitor (oscilloscope) 2 three-way stopcocks Continuous saline flush (0.5 or 1 L bag of normal saline, metered pump, and continuous flush device [permits simultaneous arterial pressure monitoring and slow saline drip to keep catheter patent]) Use of a tissue dilator is discouraged for femoral arterial catheterization to prevent excess blood loss due to inadvertent arterial dilation or damage.