Use of Percutaneously Inserted Venous Catheters in Coronary Care Units

¹ Division of Cardiology, Creighton University College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska

Complications, their incidences and preventive management were studied during 484 percutaneously inserted intravenous catheter placements. Group A consisted of short, eight-inch catheters. Group B consisted of 21-inch, central venous catheters. Overall complication incidences were: Group A 61 percent, Group B 36 percent. Thrombophlebitis was associated with 21 percent of Group A and 4 percent of Group B. In Group A, when antibiotics, KC1 and lidocaine were added to the infusate the incidence of phlebitis was significantly increased. In this same group, after the first 24 hours, the daily incidence of phlebitis remained stable at 7.8 percent per day. Heparin and hydrocortisone added to the infusate perfusing short catheters was associated with a 50 percent reduction of phlebitis and 91 percent reduction of plugged catheters. It is concluded that (1) when short, percutaneously inserted catheters are used heparin and hydrocortisone should be added to the infusate and (2) percutaneously inserted central venous catheters are safe and may be used routinely.

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