UNUSUAL MISPLACEMENT SITES OF PERCUTANEOUS CENTRAL VENOUS LINES IN THE VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT NEONATE

Percutaneously placed central venous lines have become an intricate pa rt of the medical management of the very low birth weight infant. It i s critically important that health care providers involved with the pl acement of these catheters be familiar with the possible subtle sites for catheter misplacement. We present two case reports of inadvertent ascending lumbar vein catheterization with a percutaneously placed Sil astic catheter where the saphenous vein was used for venous access. Th e literature is reviewed with regard to the history of use, indication s, placement, and associated complications of these catheters.