Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics. From: Outpatient Procedures American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care, 2nd Edition, 2017 Figure Legend: Approach to the femoral vein. The patient is flat and supine, with the thigh slightly abducted and externally rotated. The introducer needle enters the skin 2 to 3 cm distal to the inguinal ligament and 0.5 to 1 cm medial to the pulse of the femoral artery. (From Schexnayder SM, Storm EA, Stroud MH, et al. Pediatric vascular access and centeses. In: Fuhrman BP, Zimmerman JJ, Carcillo JA, et al, eds. Pediatric Critical Care. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:154. Reprinted with permission.) Date of download: 1/24/2018 Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved.