A prospective study of femoral catheter-related thrombosis in children.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the incidence and correlate clinical findings of femoral venous catheter-related thrombus formation in critically ill children.


METHODS
Observational prospective blinded study.


METHODS
University-affiliated pediatric hospital intensive care unit.


METHODS
Twenty children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit who had percutaneous femoral venous catheters placed while in the pediatric intensive care unit.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Duplex Doppler ultrasonography evaluation of femoral vein catheters at 1 to 2, 3 to 5, and 7 to 10 days after placement was used to detect the presence of thrombus formation and venous occlusion. Demographic patient data, pediatric risk of mortality scores, and clinical findings, including leg swelling and whether catheters would aspirate blood, were also recorded. Continuous data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, and categorical data were compared with Fisher's Exact Test. Statistical significance was assigned at a P value of .05 or less.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall incidence of catheter-related femoral vein thrombus formation was 35% (7/20). Ipsilateral leg swelling and the inability to aspirate blood from the catheter were significantly associated with thrombus formation. Patients who developed thrombi were younger and smaller than those who did not. In six of seven patients, thrombus formation was clinically occult when first demonstrated by ultrasonography.
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
G A
GA
Talbott
W D
WD
Winters
S L
SL
Bratton
P P
PP
O'Rourke
D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex