Evaluation and follow-up of catheters implanted in pediatric units

Central venous catheters which facilitate medical prosedures and are increasingly used, are with this usage become the reason of the increasing catheter complications. By this study, our purpose is to follow-up central venous catheters and follow-up and evaluate the complications of central venous catheters or hemodialysis catheters implanted to inpatients of pediatric intensive care unit. 155 nontunneled central venous catheter and/or hemodialysis catheters implanted in 106 pediatric patients that hospitalized in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Balcalı Hospital of Education and Research of Çukorova Univercity between August 2014 and August 2015 are studied. In our intensive care unit, 155 catheters implanted in 106 patients and this catheters totally used for 1634 days. In our study of 155 catheters, 89 (% 57.4) implanted in femoral vein, 19 (% 12.3) implanted in subclavian vein and 47 (% 30.3) implanted in internal juguler vein. In the period of the study 8 catheter infection is identified and catheter related blood stream frequency is calculated as 4.8/1000 catheter days. 3 catheter trombosis is identified through the follow-up of 155 catheter cases and it is frequency (% 2) is quite low according the literature. Pneumothorax complication frequency is low according to the literatüre (only one case, % 1.5). In the study mostly microorganisms of skin flora is identified as in literature and also in association with flora of the intensive care unit, higher frequencies of Acinetobacter, Klebsiella and Serratia are determined. As result; it should be in mind that central venous catheters taking a serious part in intensive care units and emergency rooms as providing sufficent and trustable intra venous access, may be the reason of serious complications. To avoid the catheter complications, we should obey the rules of placement and usage and if there is any extra risk of patient or staff there should be extra precautions for this extra risks.