Indications, management, and complications of percutaneous subclavian catheters. An audit
C. A. Herbst Jr
A retrospective outcome-oriented audit was conducted to determine the
complications associated with percutaneous infraclavicular subclavian
catheters in a university hospital. The study is unique since patients
having these catheters were not under the care of a select group of
physicians and the patients were not restricted to a special nursing unit.
One hundred and seventeen catheters were placed in 68 patients. Seventeen
types of complications were audited. There were 13 complications (11%)
identified as follows: pneumothorax, seven; subcutaneous emphysema, one;
subclavian artery hematoma, one; pleural effusion, one; improper position,
two; and sepsis, one. No mortality was associated with catheter placement.
Pattern analysis suggested physician inexperience as an important cause of
complications. The difficulties of establishing a retrospective audit based
on documentation errors and omissions are discussed.
