Influence of catheter type on occurrence of thrombophlebitis during peripheral intravenous nutrition

To reduce the likelihood of thrombophlebitis during intravenous feeding through a peripheral vein, the osmolality of the solution is usually reduced by disproportionately raising the lipid content and lowering the carbohydrate, electrolyte, and aminoacid concentrations. The possibility that delivery system rather than feed is the main influence on the development of thrombophlebitis was examined in a randomised comparison of a fine-bore silicone catheter against a short 'Teflon' cannula. The nutrient solution given through a peripheral vein was a standard feed used for infusion into a central vein (osmolality 1250 mOsmol/kg, 13 g nitrogen, 200 g glucose [800 kcal], and lipid emulsion [1000 kcal]). 27 patients received the infusion through a fine-bore silicone rubber catheter (diameter 23 G, length 15 cm) and 23 through a teflon catheter (diameter 20 G, length 3.2 cm). The median duration of feeding was 5 days in each of the two groups. Thrombophlebitis developed in all patients in the teflon group but in only 2 (7%) of the silicone group. The first silicone catheter for a patient lasted a median of 128.5 h, compared with 40 h for the first teflon cannula (p less than 0.001). The results show that when a nutrient solution of osmolality 1250 mOsmol/kg is delivered through a peripheral vein with an ultrafine-bore silicone catheter, the risk of thrombophlebitis is low. For many patients intravenous feeding may thus be given through a peripheral instead of a central vein without compromising the nutritional adequacy of the feed.