Long-term central venous catheters: size and location do matter.
BACKGROUND
Right or left side of placement for subclavian vein catheterization for placement of long-term central catheters and size of the catheters has not been analyzed completely.


METHODS
The records of 502 consecutive long-term central venous catheters placed in patients while in the operating room over a 1-year period were reviewed and 230 subclavian vein tunneled catheters were analyzed. Technical difficulties in placing the catheters were defined as arterial puncture, guidewire malposition, catheter malposition, need to switch site of access, sheath difficulty, and inability to place the catheter.


RESULTS
Three complications were identified (1%) and technical difficulties occurred in 15% of the patients. More difficulty was associated with the insertion of larger triple-lumen catheters than smaller single-lumen catheters (31% vs. 11%, respectively; P < .009). Right subclavian placement was associated with a 24.4% technical difficulty rate versus a 10.4% technical difficulty rate for left subclavian placement (P < .005).


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports placing the smallest catheter necessary via the left subclavian vein.
Department of Surgery, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-5047, USA. Raymond.onders@uhhs.com
Raymond P
RP
Onders
Robert R
RR
Shenk
Thomas A
TA
Stellato
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013350:Subclavian Vein