Internal Jugular Vein Size and Thrombosis Risk in Central Venous Catheterization

BACKGROUND Central venous catheterization (CVC) is a technique administered extensively for many indications, including establishing a secure stable route for drug administration, volume resuscitation, central venous pressure measurement, and facilitation of complex interventions such as oncologic treatments. In the literature, there is no evidence of a relationship between central venous lumen diameter and catheter-related thrombosis (CRT). This study aimed to evaluate the possible association between the diameter of the internal jugular vein (IJV) and the risk of CRT in 467 patients undergoing CVC. The study was conducted between April 2023 and February 2024. MATERIAL AND METHODS We assessed 467 cancer patients with a CVC inserted for chemotherapy. All patients began chemotherapy sessions after the CVC was inserted. If a catheter-associated error was detected by the oncologist, the patient was assessed by an anesthesiologist who was participating in the study. All patients were checked on the 7th day and every month until the end of the oncologic treatment to detect CRT via ultrasonography (US). RESULTS We investigated the association between thrombosis and CVP catheter axial diameter, but we did not find any association. Although the axial diameter of the thrombus group was higher than that of the non-thrombus group (14.3±3.2 mm vs 12.8±4.1 mm, p=0.104), the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS We found that the diameter of the jugular vein was not associated with development of CRT.