Faculty Collaboration Database

Impact of peripherally inserted central catheters on phlebitic complications of peripheral intravenous therapy in spinal cord injury patients. J Spinal Cord Med 1997 Jul;20(3):341-4

Date

07/01/1997

Pubmed ID

9261781

DOI

10.1080/10790268.1997.11719486

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0031183847 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   14 Citations

Abstract

We investigated the impact of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement in spinal cord injury patients at high risk for infusion phlebitis. The rate and etiology of phlebitis was investigated in two phases. During Phase I, peripheral IV cannulae and conventional central venous catheters (CVC) were used. During Phase II, patients identified to be at risk for phlebitis received PICCs. The number of peripheral IVs, CVCs and PICCs was tabulated for both phases of the study. Technical, infectious and thrombotic complications were studied prospectively for PICCs and retrospectively for CVCs. We found the rate of phlebitis was 16.5 percent and 2.4 percent for Phases I and II, respectively (p = 0.0002). Three infections occurred in 38 PICCs and one infection was documented in 13 conventional CVCs. The number of peripheral IVs and conventional CVCs was reduced significantly from Phase I to Phase II. No procedural complications, catheter sepsis or clinically apparent venous thrombosis occurred. In conclusion, PICCs reduced the rate of phlebitis thresholds with a low complication rate and reduced the use of peripheral IVs and conventional CVCs.

Author List

Paz-Fumagalli R, Miller YA, Russell BA, Crain MR, Beres RA, Mewissen MW

Author

Robert A. Beres MD Associate Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Catheterization, Central Venous
Humans
Incidence
Injections, Intravenous
Phlebitis
Prospective Studies
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Cord Injuries