Abstract

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs) are inserted percutaneously into peripheral veins (e.g. the basilic or cephalic vein et al.) and the tip of the catheter is most often placed in the superior vena cava or at the cavo-atrial junction. Since introduction of PICCs into clinical practice 30 years ago, PICCs have gained increasing popularity. The relative ease of placement, low complication rate, ability to be introduced at the bedside, and infrequent need for replacement will make PICCs more useful tools for patients requiring central access. The purpose of this article is to review the indications, contraindications, insertion methods, and complications of PICCs. (Surg Metab Nurtr 2014;5:1-4)

• Keywords: Peripherally inserted central catheters, Central access, Methods