CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER

Course overview

CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER INSERTION IS A STANDARD AND, OFTEN, THE NECESSARY PROCEDURE FOR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS. VARIOUS ACCESS TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES WERE DEVELOPED FOR MANY INDICATIONS, INCLUDING TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION ADMINISTRATION, DIALYSIS, PLASMAPHERESIS, MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, AND HEMODYNAMIC MONITORING, AND TO FACILITATE FURTHER COMPLEX INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS TRANSVENOUS PACEMAKER PLACEMENT. CENTRAL VENOUS ACCESS MAY BE ATTAINED WITH VARIOUS DEVICES, DEPENDING ON THE INDICATION FOR CATHETER INSERTION. BROADLY, CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS ALLOW FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF VASOACTIVE MEDICATIONS AND AGENTS KNOWN AS VENOUS IRRITANTS. STILL, CATHETERS ARE USED TO PERFORM DIALYSIS OR PLASMAPHERESIS OR AS A CONDUIT TO INSERT ADDITIONAL DEVICES FOR MORE COMPLEX PROCEDURES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER INSERTION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WHO UNDERGO THIS PROCEDURE.