Nonrefluxing central venous catheters in children

A central venous catheter occasionally is necessary in infants to maintain adequate nutritional support. Our experience shows that routine dressing changes are not necessary. Clinical studies of a slit-valve central venous catheter in which intraluminal thrombosis is eliminated are described. The combination of minimal dressing manipulation, adequate dressing protection, and the nonrefluxing slit-valve catheter have markedly reduced sepsis rates.