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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Uses and complications of central venous catheters inserted in a pediatric emergency department

V W Chiang1, M N Baskin

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. chiang@a1.tch.harvard.edu

Pediatric Emergency Care
|August 31, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Central venous catheterization (CVC) is a safe method for critically ill children, with femoral insertion being common and rarely causing complications. This study reviewed CVC use in a pediatric emergency department.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Vascular Access Procedures
  • Critical Care Pediatrics

Background:

  • Central venous catheters (CVCs) are crucial for administering medications and fluids in critically ill pediatric patients.
  • Establishing reliable venous access can be challenging in emergency department (ED) settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence, indications, insertion sites, duration, and complications of CVC insertion in a pediatric ED.
  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of CVC placement in critically ill children.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of patients undergoing CVC insertion in an urban pediatric teaching hospital's ED.
  • Data collected from January 1992 to July 1997, including patient demographics, indications, insertion sites, and complications.

Main Results:

  • 121 pediatric patients received CVCs, most commonly for lack of peripheral vascular access (64%).
  • The femoral vein was the most frequent insertion site (83%), with four reported complications, all associated with femoral lines.
  • No long-term, life-threatening, or limb-threatening complications were observed.

Conclusions:

  • Central venous catheterization, especially via the femoral approach, is a safe and effective method for achieving central venous access in critically ill pediatric patients.
  • The study supports the use of femoral CVCs in pediatric emergency care when peripheral access is inadequate.
Abstract

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