Central venous catheters in the emergency department: access, utilization, and problem solving

As the number of children with central venous catheters cared for at home continues to escalate, the physician is increasingly confronted with a wide variety of devices in the emergency setting. The most common presenting complaints are fever (infection), occlusion (thrombus), breakage, and dislodgement. Familiarity with the basic characteristics of these devices and their variations, as well as the approaches to specific complaints, will lead to prompt, efficient, and definitive emergency care for these patients.