Long-term venous access with a Hickman catheter: complications and patient satisfaction

Hickman catheters can be used to secure prolonged access to the venous system. We have retrospectively analysed the incidence of complications, risk factors for the occurrence of complications and patient satisfaction in 120 catheters. The total number of complications was 30, leading to the removal of 15 catheters. The majority of complications were infectious, occurring 28 times and leading to catheter removal in 13 patients. Other complications (i.e. catheter thrombosis) were rare. The only identifiable risk factor for the occurrence of complications was the male gender, associated with a higher rate of catheter infection. Patient satisfaction after catheter insertion, assessed by a questionnaire to which 24 of the 30 patients responded, was high. This report indicates that the use of Hickman catheters is associated with an acceptable complication rate and a high level of patient satisfaction.