UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Catheter Positioning

Category: Critical Care

Keywords: central venous catheter (PubMed Search)

Posted: 12/16/2008 by Mike Winters, MBA, MD (Updated: 11/22/2024)
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Catheter Positioning

Central venous catheters (CVC) inserted from the left side must make an acute angle downward when the enter the SVC from the innominate vein
CVCs that do no make this turn can end up with the tip pointing directly at the lateral wall of the SVC
CVCs in this position can cause perforation of the SVC
If the catheter tip is pointing at the SVC, then advance the catheter further down