How Risky Are Central Venous Catheters?

To estimate the complication rate of central venous catheters (CVCs), researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 130 observational and randomized studies published from 2015 to 2023 in which short term complication rates associated with CVCs were examined in adult inpatients. Peripherally inserted central venous catheters, dialysis catheters, long-term tunneled catheters, and catheters placed by radiologists were excluded.

The three most common complications associated with CVC insertions were placement failure (20.4 events/1000 catheters placed), arterial puncture (16.2 events/1000 catheters placed), and pneumothorax (4.4 events/1000 catheters placed). A composite outcome of four serious complications (i.e., arterial can…