Routine chest roentgenogram after central venous catheter insertion is not always necessary.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the usefulness of routine radiologic control after the insertion of a central venous catheter as a tool that might modify treatment of patients.


METHODS
A prospective study was made of 149 patients submitted to central venous catheter insertion.


RESULTS
In 55% of the patients the roentgenogram showed an adequate placement of the catheter tip and in 3.6% it showed some abnormal finding. Ten modifications were carried out based on the radiologic results. The prolonged partial thromboplastin time value and the subjective degree of difficulty showed a statistical relation to the appearance of complications. The number of punctures above one related to abnormal radiologic findings.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that routine chest radiology after the insertion of a central venous catheter is not always necessary and that it should be ordered selectively, according to the findings made during the procedure and the subjective degree of difficulty.
Sanabria
Alvaro
A
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Antioquia, University Hospital San Vicente de Paúl, Apartado aéreo 1226, Postal 229 Ciudad Universitaria, Medellín, Colombia. asanabriq@hotmail.com
Henao
Carlos
C
Bonilla
Romulo
R
Castrillón
Carlos
C
Cruz
Herman
H
Ramírez
William
W
Navarro
Pablo
P
González
Mercedes
M
Díaz
Abel
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D015642:Radiology, Interventional; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric