title: Routine chest roentgenogram after central venous catheter insertion is not always necessary.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanabria
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henao
authors.forename: Romulo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castrillón
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz
mesh_terms: 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