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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
09:57
A Protocol to Set Up Needle-Free Connector with Positive Displacement on Central Venous Catheter in Intensive Care Unit
Published on: July 13, 2019
Clinically-indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters
Joan Webster1, Sonya Osborne, Claire Rickard
1Centre for Clinical Nursing, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Level 2, Building 34, Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD, Australia, 4029.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|March 19, 2010
Summary
Routine replacement of peripheral intravenous catheters every 72-96 hours is not supported by evidence. Changing catheters only when clinically indicated reduces costs and patient discomfort without increasing risks.
Area of Science:
- Medical Interventions
- Infection Control
- Patient Care
Background:
- Current guidelines recommend routine replacement of peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters every 72 to 96 hours to minimize risks like phlebitis and bacteraemia.
- Routine replacement can cause patient discomfort and incur significant healthcare costs.
- The necessity of routine replacement may be questioned if catheters remain functional and show no signs of inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical and economic impact of removing peripheral IV catheters based on clinical indication versus routine replacement.
- To compare the incidence of phlebitis and bacteraemia between clinically indicated removal and routine replacement strategies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing routine peripheral IV catheter removal with removal upon clinical indication.
- Searches conducted in the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL, and MEDLINE databases up to October 2009.
- Independent assessment of trial quality and data extraction by three review authors.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in suspected catheter-related bacteraemia between groups (44% reduction in clinically indicated group, OR 0.57; P=0.37).
- A non-significant increase in phlebitis was observed in the clinically indicated group (9% vs 7.2%, OR 1.24; P=0.09), with no significant difference per 1000 device days (OR 1.04; P=0.77).
- Significant cost reductions were found in the clinically indicated group for cannulation (MD -6.21; P < 0.000).
Conclusions:
- The review found no conclusive evidence supporting the routine 72-96 hour replacement of peripheral IV catheters.
- Healthcare organizations could consider adopting a policy of catheter replacement based solely on clinical indication.
- This approach offers significant cost savings and improves patient experience by avoiding unnecessary discomfort.
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