Central venous catheters (CVCs), also known as central lines, are a commonly used medical device in hospitals across the United States. These catheters provide intravenous access to large central veins that can be used to deliver medications, blood products, total parenteral nutrition, or fluids. CVCs are an essential piece of equipment in many hospital settings; however, their use also comes with certain risks that require careful monitoring and prevention strategies.

Uses of CVCs

Central Venous Catheters are routinely used in intensive care units, emergency departments, medical/surgical floors, and other areas of the hospital. They serve several critical purposes:

Administration of IV Medications: Many drugs that need to be delivered systemically are given through a central line due to their vesicant or irritant nature. This helps prevent tissue damage that could occur if the drug was given through a peripheral IV.

Rapid Infusion of Fluids: Large volumes of fluid, such as during resuscitation or blood product transfusions, can be safely delivered through a CVC. This would be difficult and time-consuming through a peripheral IV alone.

Long-Term IV Access: Patients who require IV fluids, medications, or nutritional support for an extended period (days to weeks) are often cared for with a CVC in place to prevent frequent peripheral IV starts.

Hemodynamic Monitoring: Some CVCs, called pulmonary artery catheters, can be threaded into the pulmonary artery to closely monitor hemodynamic parameters like cardiac output.

Types of CVCs

There are different types of CVCs used for various purposes:

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs): These long, thin catheters are inserted into an upper extremity vein and threaded into a central vein of the upper arm. PICCs are well-tolerated and have a lower risk of complications compared to other CVC types.

Non-tunneled Central Venous Catheters: Also called acute or non-cuffed catheters, these short-term CVCs are placed directly into the internal jugular, subclavian, or femoral vein. They are used when IV access is only needed for a brief period (less than six weeks).

Tunneled Central Venous Catheters: Sometimes called Broviac or Hickman catheters, these CVCs have a cuff that attaches to the vessel wall and a portion of the catheter that is threaded subcutaneously before exiting the skin. This configuration makes them suitable for long-term IV access lasting months to years.

Insertion Process and Associated Risks

Placement of a CVC requires ultrasound guidance to visualize the vein and sterile technique during insertion. Risks include:

Pneumothorax: The catheter may accidentally puncture the lung during subclavian or internal jugular insertion, causing it to collapse. This occurs in 1-2% of cases.

Hemothorax: Blood may accumulate in the pleural space due to vessel or lung injury during insertion. This complication has a 0.2-2% risk.

Arterial Puncture: An adjacent artery could be entered by accident, which requires application of direct pressure to stop bleeding. This is a relatively common error that does not often lead to serious harm.

Infection: The catheter insertion site or catheter itself may become contaminated with skin flora or more serious hospital-acquired pathogens. Estimates suggest over 250,000 cases of catheter-related bloodstream infections occur annually in the United States.

Thrombosis: Formation of blood clots around or within the catheter due to its foreign nature is an important concern. This can potentially lead to pulmonary embolism if dislodged.

Strategies to Improve Safety

Significant effort has gone towards reducing complications associated with CVC use:

-Ultrasound Guidance: Visualization of vessels and anatomical landmarks with ultrasound has greatly reduced mechanical complications during insertion.

-Sterile Technique: Strict sterile barriers, full-body drapes, masks and maximal sterile barriers during insertion have proven critical to reducing infections.

-Chlorhexidine Skin Antisepsis: Using chlorhexidine for antisepsis instead of povidone-iodine lowers the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections.

-CVC Care Bundles: Implementing comprehensive protocols addressing hand hygiene, skin prep, protective drapes and dressings, prompt removal of unnecessary catheters has reduced rates of CRBSI.

-Antimicrobial Catheters: Some catheters coated or impregnated with antimicrobial agents like chlorhexidine or minocycline have shown effectiveness against certain pathogens.


In summary, CVCs play an invaluable role in hospitalized patient care across the U.S., but come with potentially serious risks if not inserted and cared for properly. Adherence to evidence-based guidelines addressing sterile technique, antisepsis and prompt removal of unnecessary catheters has significantly improved safety. Ongoing research also evaluates newer catheter technologies and antibiotic formulations. With a multi-pronged approach, the burden of CVC complications can continue to decline.

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