Objective:

This study was designed to substantiate the feasibility and the advantage of the use of floroscopic guidance for evaluating the misplacement of the peripherally inserted central catheter line and optimizing the correct tip positioning in the operating theatre.

Material and Method:

Ninety patients aged 18-75 years, requiring central vein access were enrolled into this study. Chest fluoroscopy was performed to assess the position of the catheter tip after the insertion of the catheter. Feasibility of the fluoroscopic examination, the time required to verify the catheter tip location, identifying the position of the central catheter line tip (misplacement/correct placement), the entire time required to perform correct catheter tip placement with the aid of floroscopic screening were all recorded in each patient.

Results:

Total of 92 concecutive central venous catheters were inserted. The average time required to verify the PICC line tip location with fluoroscopy was 4.2 ± 2.4 min. 16 misplaced PICC line tip were determined. The average time required to perform correct PICC line tip placement with the aid of floroscopic screening was 6.5 ± 5.5 min.

Conclusion:

It is concluded that fluoroscopic examination following central venous line insertion helps to determine the catheter misplacement, and provide correct positioning of the misplaced catheter line tip without causing too much time delay.

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