Umbilical Venous Catheter Versus Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter in Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Intensive Care
• Vascular Access Devices
• Medical Device Comparison

Background:

• Neonates often require vascular access for critical care.
• Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) and umbilical venous catheters (UVC) are common vascular access devices.
• A comparison of UVC and PICC in neonates is essential for optimizing care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the success rate, complications, cost, and time of insertion between PICC and UVC.
• To evaluate the suitability of UVC as a cost-effective alternative to PICC in neonatal intensive care.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving neonates requiring vascular access for at least 7 days.
• Sample size of 72 neonates per group (PICC vs. UVC).
• Data collected on success rates, insertion time, cost, and causes of failure.

Main Results:

• Success rates for UVC and PICC were 68.1% and 65.3% (p=0.724), respectively.
• Mean insertion times were 28.31 min for UVC and 34.13 min for PICC (p=0.205).
• Mean costs were $11.9 for UVC and $60.9 for PICC (p<0.0001). Common failures included UVC displacement and PICC blockage.

Conclusions:

• UVC is a significantly cheaper alternative to PICC for neonatal vascular access.
• UVC offers comparable success rates and insertion times to PICC.
• UVC presents a viable, cost-effective option for neonatal care.