Central Venous Catheterization

Patient Education

What is a central venous catheter?

A catheter is a long, soft silicone rubber tube. It is used to give fluids, injections, or draw blood whenever necessary by placing in a large vein in the body. It may be placed in the vein in the chest or neck or hand. The catheter is designed in such a way that it can stay in the body for weeks to months to prevent repeated pricks in the child. The traditional needles put into the veins can be kept in place only for 2-3 days before they get blocked or infected. When this happens, a new needle must be inserted and thus frequent pricks.

When is the central venous catheter used in a child?

A child on chemotherapy for cancer or a child on dialysis for kidney failure would need access to the blood circulation for a long time either for giving medications or to remove the toxins from the blood. In these children, a central venous catheter would be required.