KVO. To cannulate a patient in order to keep a vein patent. Also termed TKVO, to keep vein open, the technique is actually meant for use in hospitals where patients are on fluid or drug therapy. A specific flow rate for the fluids will be chosen in order to keep the vein 'open' and the cannula clear for repeated use.
In the pre-hospital environment, it is not always necessary to insert a cannula for KVO purposes but where hospital transport times are long or delayed, or where the imminence of losing vascular access appears threatening, it may be prudent to make the clinical decision of inserting a cannula and flushing it - or even setting a slow drip rate in order to KVO.
