Key points about central venous catheters
- a central venous catheter (CVC) is sometimes called a 'central line'
- it is a device that allows health professionals to give medicines, fluids and blood products into a large central vein leads directly into your child's heart
What is a central venous catheter?
A central venous catheter (CVC) (sometimes called a 'central line') is a device that provides entry from outside the body to a large central vein leading directly into the heart.
Doctors and nurses use a CVC to give:
- chemotherapy and other medicines
- nutritional fluids
- intravenous fluids
- blood products
Doctors and nurses can also use a CVC to withdraw samples of blood for testing. A CVC remains in place for the duration of treatment unless it is a temporary catheter.
Types of central venous catheters
There are 3 types of central venous catheters - external semi-permanent, external temporary or subcutaneous port.
External semi-permanent
- Hickman
- Broviac
- Cook
Semi-Permanent External Venous Catheters
External temporary
- PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter)
Temporary External Venous Catheters
Subcutaneous port
- Port-a-cath
- Mediport
- Powerport
The device type your child has will depend on their age and type of treatment. Your child's healthcare team will talk to you about which one will suit your child best.
Ask your nurse for details about the CVC selected for your child.
Inserting and removing a central venous catheter or PICC
A doctor or nurse will put in external and subcutaneous catheters under a general anaesthetic in the operating theatre. Your child will be asleep and will feel nothing while the insertion procedure is taking place.
A doctor or nurse may also put in a peripherally inserted central catheter (known as PICC or PIC line) under a general anaesthetic in the operating theatre. Or, they may put it in on the ward while using a local anaesthetic.
There may be some pain during the first 1 or 2 days after insertion. An anaesthetist or another doctor may prescribe pain-relieving medicine (analgesics) to make sure your child is comfortable.
Acknowledgements
All the pages in the childhood cancer section of this website have been written by health professionals who work in the field of paediatric oncology. They have been reviewed by the members of the National Child Cancer Network (NZ). Medical information is authorised by the clinical leader of the National Child Cancer Network.
