Central Line Placement

Central venous catheter placement is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the intensive care unit. Common indications for central venous catheter placement include the need for vasoactive or caustic medication infusions, vascular access in patients with poor peripheral veins, long-term access for intravenous medications, infusion of parenteral nutrition, hemodynamic monitoring, transvenous cardiac pacing, and access for hemodialysis or plasmapheresis. There are no absolute contraindications to central venous catheter placement because it is a potentially lifesaving intervention, but careful planning and site selection are warranted in some cases, such as a patient with a known coagulopathy.