Peripherally inserted central catheter malposition in a persistent left superior vena cava.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common congenital anomaly of the superior vena cava system. Left superior vena cava exists in early embryonic development, but this vessel degenerates as the cardiovascular system matures. Failure of this process to occur results in PLSVC. If not associated with other cardiac malformations, PLSVC has no clinical signs or symptoms. This article discusses a case of PLSVC diagnosed after placement of two peripherally inserted central venous catheters that appeared to malposition outside the central circulation. After unsuccessful bedside placement of the two catheters, the patient was referred to interventional radiology for placement of a Hickman catheter. A contrast injection study showed the presence of a PLSVC with the absence of a normal right superior vena cava. The tip of the peripherally inserted central venous catheter was found to be at a satisfactory location within the PLSVC.     

Use of hand-held ultrasonography to confirm the correct placement of a central venous catheter tip

To avoid severe complications resulting from malpositioning of a central venous catheter, removal and recannulation of the catheter may be necessary, thus wasting medical equipment and increasing stress on the patient. Therefore, central venous catheters should be inserted correctly the first time. We tested whether real-time hand-held ultrasound-guided confirmation of the location of the tip of a central venous catheter inserted from the femoral vein could reduce the rate of malpositioning. Catheters were inserted using conventional methods for 65 patients, and using ultrasound guidance for 29 patients. For the latter group, when a central venous catheter was inserted, the ultrasound examiner first identified its tip located dorsal to the liver in the inferior vena cava and then fixed the catheter in position. We considered a central venous catheter to be malpositioned when its tip appeared in neither the inferior vena cava nor the right atrium–inferior vena cava junction in X-rays. Flexed or inverted catheters were also considered to be malpositioned. We compared the malpositioning rates for the ultrasound and conventional groups. Malpositioning was identified for two (6.9%) patients in the ultrasound group and 19 (29.2%) patients in the conventional group. The relative risk of ultrasound-guided versus conventional catheter insertion was 0.23 (95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.62). Our data suggest that real-time ultrasound monitoring is useful for avoiding malpositioning of central venous catheters inserted from the femoral vein.     

多排螺旋CT静脉血管成像评估植入Cuff导管后的中心静脉

目的 探讨多排螺旋CT静脉血管成像（MDCTV）对评估双腔带Cuff中心静脉导管植入术后,导管相关功能障碍的应用价值。方法 回顾性收集110例双腔带Cuff中心静脉导管植入术后慢性肾衰竭患者,均接受胸部MDCTV检查。观察静脉导管术后相关的CT特征,包括导管置入位置、导管尖端位置、血栓形成情况及相应位置、中心静脉狭窄或闭塞情况、侧支循环形成。结果 MDCTV示Cuff导管主要从右侧颈内静脉置入（102/110,92.73%）,其次是左侧颈内静脉（5/110,4.55%）、右侧锁骨下静脉（2/110,1.82%）以及右侧头臂静脉（1/110,0.91%）。导管尖端主要位于右心房（57/110,51.82%）和上腔静脉（47/110,42.73%）,少数在下腔静脉内（6/110,5.45%）。中心静脉留置导管术后血栓发生率为58.18%（64/110）。不同导管尖端位置血栓发生率差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。血栓组（64例）留置导管时间明显长于非血栓组（46例）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。血栓主要发生于上腔静脉（41/64,64.06%）、右侧头臂静脉（23/64,35.94%）及右侧颈内静脉（14/64,21.86%）,少许见于左侧头臂静脉（3/64,4.69%）、左侧颈内静脉（3/64,4.69%）和右侧锁骨下静脉（2/64,3.13%）。中心静脉发生狭窄或闭塞者共68例（68/110,61.82%）,其中有22例累及多条静脉,其主要发生于右侧头臂静脉（45/68,66.18%）及右侧颈内静脉（28/68,41.18%）。结论 MDCTV技术可以较全面地评估中心静脉留置的带Cuff双腔导管。     

Modified insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter: taking the chest radiograph earlier

Placement of the tip of a peripherally inserted central catheter in the lower third of the superior vena cava is essential to minimize the risk of complications. Sometimes, however, the catheter tip cannot be localized clearly on the chest radiograph, and repositioning a catheter at bedside is difficult, sometimes impossible. A chest radiograph obtained just after the catheter is inserted, before the guidewire is removed, can be helpful. With the guidewire in the catheter, the catheter and its tip can be seen clearly on the radiograph. If the catheter was inserted via the wrong route or the tip is not at the appropriate location, the catheter can be repositioned easily with the guidewire in it. Between January 1, 2007, and May 31, 2009, 225 catheters were placed by using this method in our department. Of these, 33 tips (14.7%) were initially malpositioned. The tips of all these catheters were repositioned in the lower third of the superior vena cava by using this method. No catheter was exchanged or removed. The infection rate for catheter placement did not increase when this method was used. This modification facilitates accurate location of the catheter tip on the chest radiograph, making it easy to correct any malposition (by withdrawing, advancing, or even reinserting the catheter after withdrawal).     

The misplaced thoracic venous catheter: detailed anatomical consideration

When interpreting routine radiographs following thoracic venous catheterization, a thorough knowledge of normal venous anatomy is necessary to prevent potential complications of central venous catheter misplacement. In the following report, we review the thoracic venous anatomy and show examples of azygous, superior intercostal, internal mammary, inferior thyroid, pericardiophrenic, and left superior vena cava catheterizations, as well as the more common venous catheter misplacements. The use of both frontal and lateral radiographs for catheter localization is discussed in detail.     

新生儿经颞浅静脉与贵要静脉留置PICC导管效果比较

目的比较新生儿经颞浅静脉与贵要静脉留置PICC导管的效果。方法19例经颞浅静脉、72例经贵要静脉留置PICC导管新生儿,观察置管过程患儿心率、呼吸、氧饱和度情况,比较两组导管到达上腔静脉的到位率、并发症发生率、导管留置时间。结果置管过程患儿生命体征平稳;颞浅静脉组上腔静脉到位率74%,贵要静脉组94%,有显著性差异(P<0.01);两组并发症的发生率、导管留置时间无差异。结论新生儿经贵要静脉留置PICC导管优于经颞浅静脉置管,在贵要静脉显露不清晰或穿刺不成功时,可首选颞浅静脉置管。     

Hickman catheter malposition in central venous tributaries: an avoidable error?

We report three cases of erroneous positioning of Hickman catheters into central venous tributaries. The malposition was not diagnosed intraoperatively because of proximity of such veins to the superior vena cava. Suspicion of misplacement raised by early postoperative catheter malfunction should allow for correction by percutaneous vascular catheters.     

Side matters: An intriguing case of persistent left superior vena-cava

Persistent left superior vena cava, usually an incidental finding, is the most common thoracic vein anatomical variation draining into the coronary sinus. Central venous catheter procedures may be complicated secondary to the presence of a persistent left superior vena cava, leading to life-threatening complications such as arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest. We present a case of persistent superior vena cava diagnosed on transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) in a patient with congestive heart failure. A dilated coronary sinus was identified on TTE, followed by injection of agitated saline into the left antecubital vein resulting in filling of the coronary sinus prior to the right atrium-an indication of persistent left superior vena-cava. This also was confirmed on cardiac computed tomography. Such a diagnosis is critical in patients who may undergo central venous catheter procedures such as our patient’s potential requirement for an implantable cardiovertor defibrillator due to severe global left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The presence of a persistent left superior vena cava should always be suspected when the guidewire takes a left-sided downward course towards the right atrium at the level of the coronary sinus. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the imaging work-up prior to central venous catheter procedures.     

彩色多普勒超声实时引导经外周静脉穿刺置入中心静脉导管的实用价值

目的 探讨彩色多普勒超声实时引导下,经上肢静脉穿刺置入中心静脉导管的方法与临床实用价值.方法 选择需要长期静脉输液、给药,采用传统穿刺置管方法无法实施或穿刺失败的患者197例,在彩色多普勒超声实时跟踪引导下,选择上肢最合适穿刺静脉,确立最佳穿刺点及穿刺角度进行穿刺置管,将静脉导管置入中心静脉内,要求导管尖端位于上腔静脉中下1/3处.结果 本组197例患者穿刺成功率为100%,穿刺血管的选择：左上肢静脉95例,右上肢静脉102例;选择贵要静脉150例,肱静脉24例,头静脉14例,肘正中静脉9例;穿刺时间为20 s～22 min;仅有5例出现穿刺局部血肿,无神经损伤等其他并发症发生;超声对导管尖端定位的准确性达96.95%（191/197）.结论 彩色多普勒超声引导经上肢静脉穿刺置入中心导管的方法安全可靠,成功率高,并发症少,可明显缩短穿刺间,具有很高的临床实用价值,值得推广应用.     

Spontaneous correction of misplaced peripherally inserted central catheters

The purpose of the present study was to examine a new protocol involving the spontaneous correction of the misplaced tip of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). Patients with PICCs misplaced in the jugular or contralateral subclavian veins were recruited. All patients underwent chest X-ray (CXR) after 3 days. In addition, those whose PICC tip still was misplaced and received another CXR after 4 days. The functions of the catheters, the subjective feelings of the patients, and local symptoms of the neck and upper anterior chest wall were recorded. Among 866 patients who had PICCs, we observed 22 PICC tips misplaced in the jugular, 3 tips misplaced in the contralateral subclavian vein, and 7 tips misplaced in other locations, which was confirmed by CXR. A total of 22 PICC tips automatically returned to the superior vena cava, which included all 3 tips in the contralateral subclavian vein and 19 tips in the jugular vein. All catheters functioned normally, and the patients had no complaints. In addition, we observed no local symptoms of the neck and upper anterior chest wall. For patients experiencing a PICC misplaced in the jugular and contralateral subclavian veins, there is no need to manually replace. In addition, the function of the catheter can remain normal.     

44例PICC原发性上腔静脉内异位患者的护理

总结44例PICC置管患者原发性上腔静脉内异位的识别与处理经验。2020年1月—5月杭州市某三级甲等医院1 370例PICC置管患者中,44例发生原发性上腔静脉内异位,发生率为3.2%。结合腔内心电图P波形态、振幅改变以及B超影像综合分析、调整PICC尖端位置,43例复位成功,1例异位于奇静脉,复位成功率为97.7%。     

Peripherally inserted central catheter placement in neonates with persistent left superior vena cava: Report of eight cases

BACKGROUNDReports on peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement in neonates with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) are rare. The majority of PLSVC patients have no clinical symptoms or hemodynamic changes, which are usually detected during cardiac catheterization, cardiac pacemaker implantation, or PICC placement. However, in neonates with PLSVC, PICC placement can be challenging. Here, we report PICC placement in eight neonates with PLSVC.CASE SUMMARYThis article introduces the concept of the “TIMB” bundle. After PICC implantation, we found PLSVC in all eight patients. The key points of care regarding PICC placement in neonates with PLSVC included “TIMB”, where “T” indicates a reasonable choice of the catheterization time, “I” refers to a retrospective analysis of imaging data before catheterization, “M” refers to correct measurement of the body surface length, and “B” indicates that the tip of the PICC is placed in the middle and lower 1/3 of the left superior vena cava under the guidance of B-ultrasound.CONCLUSION“TIMB” is a bundle for PICC placement in neonates, especially for those with PLSVC. Using this new approach can improve the first-attempt success rate of PICC placement, reveal cardiovascular abnormalities in advance, allow the selection of different measurement methods reasonably according to the puncture site, and finally, improve the accuracy of catheter positioning through the use of B-ultrasound guidance.     

新型静脉内心电图引导PICC导管尖端定位的临床研究

目的 探讨新型静脉内心电图在PICC置管过程中出现的波形规律性.方法 选择符合新型静脉内心电图引导PICC置管的成年患者30例,置管操作在数字减影血管造影室完成.PICC导丝外接心电导线,通过转换器转接监护仪的左腋中线与左肋下缘连接处电极,在推进PICC导管时,记录导管尖端位于锁骨下静脉（A点）、头臂静脉（B点）、上腔静脉上段（C1点）、中段（C2点）、下段（C3点）和右心房入口（D点）、右心房内（E点）7个标志点的新型静脉内心电图和导管插入深度,并与置管前常规体表心电图（O点）作对照.结果 O、A、B、C1、C2、C3、D、E各点P波振幅比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）.当PICC导管尖端分别位于A、B、C1、C2、C3、D、E点时导管插入平均深度为41.2 cm、43.1 cm、45.0 cm、48.3 cm、51.0 cm、53.4 cm、56.6 cm.结论 新型静脉内心电图法引导PICC置管时出现特征性的宽大负向P波与Q波呈＂W＂波形,标志导管尖端到达上腔静脉下段,是PICC导管尖端的理想位置.     

Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Diagnosed by Bedside Echocardiography

Background: Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a congenital anomaly with an estimated incidence of 0.3–0.5% in the normal population. Its usual discovery is often made by an abnormally positioned catheter inserted in the left subclavian or left jugular vein. In this situation, an easy bedside approach to confirm an anatomic variation in the central venous system is helpful. In the majority of cases, the PLSVC drains to the coronary sinus. Objective: To describe the contribution of bedside echocardiography in diagnosing the unstable patient in whom there is suspicion of a PLSVC. Case Report: A 29-year-old man underwent an emergent laparotomy for multiple intra-abdominal abscesses. Postoperatively, after insertion of a central line catheter through the left subclavian vein, a chest X-ray study showed the tip of the catheter in a left paramediastinal position instead of crossing the midline to the superior vena cava. A PLSVC was suspected. The patient was hemodynamically unstable; therefore, a bedside non-invasive confirmation of the diagnosis of PLSVC was preferred. A transthoracic echocardiography study was performed after injection of agitated saline (creating air-filled microbubbles by shaking saline solution in a syringe), which showed that the coronary sinus was opacified, confirming the diagnosis of a PLSVC. Conclusion: In this brief report, we describe the contribution of echocardiography to the diagnosis of a PLSVC. Echocardiography is a reliable and easy diagnostic tool that allows a bedside approach in a patient in whom there is suspicion of a PLSVC, without administration of radiographic contrast.     

两种途径放置中心静脉导管的临床比较

目的通过分析经外周及中心两种途径放置中心静脉导管的病例,比较两种方法的可行性、优越性、以及后期并发症情况。方法检索经外周静脉及经中心静脉置入中心静脉导管的相关文献。回顾经外周静脉放置中心静脉导管（PICC）110例以及经锁骨下静脉穿刺置入单腔中心静脉导管（CVC）110例的临床资料,进行分析和总结。对比两组资料的置管成功率、血气胸的发生率、导管堵塞、移位以及导管相关性感染等的发生率;总结这两种方法在可行性、优越性和后期并发症等方面的差异。结果对所有观察项进行分析比较,除血气胸并发症具有统计学差异（P〈0．05）;其余观察项两组间对比无统计学差异（P〉0．05）。结论PICC置管可达到与CVC相同的效果,但其在预防血气胸这一严重并发症方面更具优势;是更加安全、有效的中心静脉置管方法。     

Persistent left superior vena cava: an intensivist's experience and review of the literature

Persistent left superior vena cava is a relatively rare vascular anomaly. It is, however, the most common variation in the thoracic venous system. The anomaly is typically detected on chest x-ray after the placement of a pulmonary artery catheter or pacemaker leads. This report describes a case of persistent left superior vena cava detected after successful placement of a pulmonary artery catheter.     

Persistent left superior vena cava — an unusual location of central venous catheters in children

The incidence of central venous catheters inadvertently placed in a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) was found to be 1.0% in a pediatric population requiring central venous catheterisation. Two well documented cases are presented and the possible association of PLSVC with other non-cardiovascular malformations is suggested.     

Absent right superior vena cava

A patient is presented in whom pulmonary artery catheter insertion fortutiously demonstrated persistent left superior vena cava on two separate occasions. Further studies with venogram and a first pass nuclear scan demonstrated total absence of the right superior vena cava. Although this anomaly is commonly associated with intracardiac defects and rhythm disturbances only the latter was seen in our patient. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring is frequently performed in the majority of modern intensive care units. The bedside technique used for insertion of a Swan-Ganz catheter using only pressure monitoring for advancing the catheter has relatively few complications. One such complication is misplacement along an anomalous route where the catheter may take to the heart. We have recently treated a patient on two separate occasions who had a persistent left superior vena cava with absent right superior vena cava.     

Absence of right superior vena cava that was not detected by insertion of a pulmonary arterial catheter via the right internal jugular vein

Pulmonary arterial catheter (PAC) placement under fluoroscopy is a useful and safe method to diagnose certain congenital cardiac anomalies [1]. However, when a PAC for intraoperative monitoring is placed without the aid of fluoroscopy, it may be inadvertently placed into anomalous veins. The following report presents a case of persistent left superior vena cava (PLS VC) with absence of right superior vena cava, which was not detected by a PAC inserted via the right internal jugular vein.     

Complications associated with central venous catheters used for the collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells to support high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue

 The purpose of this study was to review the incidence and type of complications associated with the insertion and use of central venous catheters for leukapheresis and high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue. One hundred sixty-seven central venous catheters placed either at the transplant center or by various community surgeons were studied for insertion complications, inability to perform leukapheresis and incidence of infection. The overall incidence of hemo- or pneumothorax was 3.6%. Inability to pherese occurred in 13% of catheters placed by outside surgeons and 6.5% of catheters inserted at the transplant institution. Most often, these were due to malposition of the catheter too high in the superior vena cava or in other veins. Deep venous thrombosis was often related to this malposition and occurred in 4.8% of all patients. Pulmonary embolism was not seen in these patients despite the fact the catheters were often left in place during the thrombotic episode. Early or late-onset infections occurred in 6.5% of patients and were most often exit site infections. The incidence of complications of pheresis catheters is high but might be reduced by more attention to proper placement of the catheter closer to the right atrial/superior vena cava junction, and limiting insertion to a cadre of surgeons familiar with leukapheresis requirements.