Tunnelling of two central venous catheters inserted via a single venipuncture

✍ Scribed by B. Pigot; J. Petit; M. L. Eustache; G. Oksenhendler; C. Winckler

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 213 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00255636

✦ Synopsis

Two central venous catheters were inserted into the subclavian or internal jugular vein using a single puncture and tunnelled with two different subcutaneous pathways in 32 critically ill patients; 15 of them underwent this procedure immediately after a tracheostomy. The procedure was carried out without significant technical difficulties. Separate removal of one of the catheters was performed easily in 5 cases. Cultures were positive in 21% of 42 catheters from 21 patients; Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from 7 catheters. Separate tunnelling of two central venous lines inserted via a single venipuncture can be used in critically ill patients needing multiple central venous access.