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. 2016 Sep 2;11(9):e0162479.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162479. eCollection 2016.

Complications of Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Paula Parás-Bravo  1 , María Paz-Zulueta  1 , Raquel Sarabia-Lavin  1 , Francisco Jose Amo-Setién  1 , Manuel Herrero-Montes  2 , Encarnación Olavarría-Beivíde  2 , Mercedes Rodríguez-Rodríguez  2 , Blanca Torres-Manrique  2 , Carlos Rodríguez-de la Vega  2 , Vanesa Caso-Álvarez  2 , Laura González-Parralo  2 , Francisco Manuel Antolín-Juárez  2
Affiliations

Complications of Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Paula Parás-Bravo et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background and aim: The use of venous catheters is a widespread practice, especially in oncological and oncohematological units. The objective of this study was to evaluate the complications associated with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in a cohort of patients.

Materials and methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included all patient carrying PICCs (n = 603) inserted at our institute between October 2010 and December 2013. The main variables collected were medical diagnosis, catheter care, location, duration of catheterization, reasons for catheter removal, complications, and nursing care. Complications were classified as infection, thrombosis, phlebitis, migration, edema, and/or ecchymosis.

Results: All patients were treated according to the same "nursing care" protocol. The incidence rate of complications was two cases per 1000 days of catheter duration. The most relevant complications were infection and thrombosis, both with an incidence of 0.17 cases per 1000 days of the total catheterization period. The total average duration of catheterization was 170 days [SD 6.06]. Additionally to "end of treatment" (48.42%) and "exitus", (22.53%) the most frequent cause of removal was migration (displacement towards the exterior) of the catheter (5.80%).

Conclusions: PICCs are safe devices that allow the administration of long-term treatment and preserve the integrity of the venous system of the patient. Proper care of the catheter is very important to improve the quality life of patients with oncologic and hematologic conditions. Therefore, correct training of professionals and patients as well as following the latest scientific recommendations are particularly relevant.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Long-term peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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