This is the current release of the guideline.

• Patients should receive clear and comprehensive verbal and written information explaining the risks, benefits and care of the catheter. Signed consent should be obtained prior to catheter insertion.
• Nontunnelled catheters are indicated for short-term use when peripheral venous access is impractical.
• Tunnelled central venous catheters are indicated for the repeated administration of chemotherapy, antibiotics, parenteral feeding and blood products, and for frequent blood sampling. They are recommended for patients in whom long-term (>30 days) central venous access is anticipated.
• Fully implanted catheters (ports) are more suitable for children and for less frequent accessing but long-term use, whereas skin-tunnelled catheters are recommended for intensive access.
• Peripherally inserted central catheters should be avoided for inpatient therapy because of limited catheter longevity and increased incidence of thrombosis. They are more suited to ambulatory or outpatient-based therapy.
• Polyurethane peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) allow easier infusion of blood products as greater flow rates are achieved because the thinner walls provide a larger internal diameter of the catheter. The decision to use polyurethane catheters should be balanced against the higher risk of thrombosis with these catheters compared with silicone catheters.
• The number of lumina and diameter of catheters should be kept to the minimum.
• Experienced operators, regardless of specialty, should perform catheter insertion with training, supervision and competence assessment programmes in place. Paediatric specialists should insert catheters in children.
• Ultrasound guided insertion is recommended for all routes of central venous catheterization. The use of ultrasound is also recommended for the insertion of PICC when the peripheral veins are not visible or palpable.
• Imaging facilities (fluoroscopy, intravenous contrast studies and standard radiography) should be available for the insertion of skin-tunnelled central venous catheters (CVCs) and ports.
• Catheter insertion should take place in an operating theatre or similar clean environment. Bedside placement should not be performed except in an emergency, apart from PICC placement.
• Rigorous skin cleansing with a chlorhexidine gluconate 2% in alcohol or aqueous solution is recommended prior to catheter insertion.
• Antibiotic/antimicrobial impregnated catheters, for example, chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine impregnated catheters should be considered for appropriate risk groups of patients to minimize infection risk. These are becoming available for tunnelled devices.
• Routine antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended.
• Flushing with heparin vs. normal saline remains controversial.
• Routine replacement, for example, weekly change, of short-term catheters as a means to reduce infection rates is not recommended.
• Guidewire-assisted catheter exchange to replace a malfunctioning catheter is acceptable if there is no evidence of infection. However, if infection is suspected the existing catheter should be removed and a new catheter inserted at a different site. This technique is generally impractical for cuffed tunnelled catheters or ports when it may be technically easier and safer to insert a new catheter into a clean site.
• Dressings should be changed 24 hours after catheter insertion and weekly thereafter.
• Securing devices, for example, Statlok^™ are preferable to stitches, and lines should not be sewn into or around the vein.
• Needle-free connectors should be used to reduce risk of infection to patients and needle stick injury to staff.
• A positive pressure method of flushing (by protocol, according to the type of catheter) is essential to maintain catheter patency.
• Intravenous (IV) therapy giving sets should be changed every 24 to 48 hours if used for transfusing blood products, and every 72 to 96 hours otherwise.
• Pre-existing haemorrhagic, thrombotic, or infective problems must be effectively managed before catheter insertion.
• Blood products may be administered concurrently with another drug/infusion through a dual bore catheter.
• Low-dose warfarin prophylaxis is not recommended, but therapeutic dosing may be required in selected patients at risk of developing a thrombosis.
• Thrombosis and infection must be promptly diagnosed and vigorously treated. Both complications may require removal of the catheter.
• Tunnelled catheters can be pulled out if the cuff has not anchored in the tissues. Otherwise, a cut-down procedure is needed to free the cuff. Ports require surgical removal. All procedures should be undertaken by experienced personnel.
• Units should audit complications associated with central venous catheterization and use the data to develop preventative measures. Close liaison with the local microbiology department is essential to monitor trends in infection.

None provided

The type of supporting evidence is not specifically stated for each recommendation.

Not applicable: The guideline was not adapted from another source.

2007 Aug

British Committee for Standards in Haematology - Professional Association

British Committee for Standards in Haematology

Not stated

Authors: L. Bishop, Guys and St Thomas Hospital, London, UK; L. Dougherty, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK; A. Bodenham, Consultant Anaesthetist, Leeds Royal Infirmary, Leeds, UK; J. Mansi, Guys and St Thomas Hospital, London, UK; P. Crowe, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK; C. Kibbler, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK; M. Shannon, St George's Hospital London, UK; J. Treleaven, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey, UK

Not stated

This is the current release of the guideline.

None available

None available

This NGC summary was completed by ECRI Institute on March 17, 2008. The information was verified by the guideline developer on April 1, 2008.