An audit on the placement of central venous catheters

Abstract

Central venous catheter have been in use for a long time. How safe it is in practice depends on the skill of the user. As the need for longterm use of central venous catheters rises mostly on patients who suffer from advanced malignancy for adjunctive or palliative chemotherapy, it is long overdue to audit its use in clinical practice. This study was made in a general surgical unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1st December 1996 to 28th February 1997, during which the author was
attached to the unit as a visiting surgeon. Fourteen males and 12 females required central venous access mostly for the delivery of chemotherapy. A vascuport was inserted in 1 patient and percutaneous cuffed venous catheters in 25 patients. It was successful in 23 out of 28 attempts and failed in 5, because of previous neck surgery and lack of patient's co-operation. Only 4 complications (14.28%) were noted. Thus, despite being a commonly performed minor surgical operation, placement of central venous catheters for prolonged therapeutic use is still safe if important steps of the procedure are strictly followed.