International Journal of Advances In Case Reports

AN EVALUATION OF PATIENTS PLACING CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERIZATION IN THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Seher ErdoÄŸan*, Arzu Oto, Mehmet BoÅŸnak

seher70@gmail.com

Central venous catheterization, Pediatric intensive care unit, Complication.

The use of central venous catheters (CVC) is an invasive procedure widely used for procedures such as hemodynamic observation, drug and fluid administration, blood collection, hemodialysis and plasmapheresis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients receiving CVC in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for various reasons and to assess the complications encountered. Patients undergoing central venous catheterization in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for various reasons between January 2014 and January 2015 were included in the study. One hundred two CVC procedures were performed on 85 (50%) out of 170 patients. Forty-six (54.2%) patients were girls and 39 (45.8%) boys. Mean age was 41.9±50.8 months (min.2, max.185). Sixty-six (64.7%) CVC procedures were performed for nutrition and drug administration, 27 (26.5%) for continuous renal replacement and 9 (8.8%) for plasmapheresis. Fifty-four (52.9%) catheters were placed in the femoral vein, 28 (27.5%) in the internal jugular vein and 20 in the subclavian vein. Fourteen (13.7%) complications (7 arterial puncture, 4 minor bleeding, 2 hematoma and 1 pneumothorax) were observed during catheter placement, 3 thromboses (2.9%) during monitoring, 8 accidental removals (7.8%) and 5 infections (4.9%). No significant relation was determined in terms of catheter placement sites and development of complications during the procedure (p<0.05). No relation was also determined between catheter placement sites and catheter-related infection and thrombosis (p: 0.062 and p: 0.46). Despite technical difficulties and complications, central venous catheterization is still a reliable technique in children in experienced hands. In addition to facilitating treatment in critically ill children, it is also an indispensable element of intensive care because it permits monitoring.