FEMORAL VENOUS ACCESS IS SAFE IN BURNED CHILDREN - AN ANALYSIS OF 224CATHETERS

Objective: To document the incidence of septic and mechanical complica tions associated with femoral venous catheters in a subgroup of patien ts thought to be at particularly high risk of both: young children wit h large burns. Design: An analysis of data collected prospectively on all femoral venous catheters placed during a 4-year period at a region al pediatric burn facility. Results: There were 224 femoral catheters placed in 86 children with an average age of 5.3 +/- 5.1 years and an average burn size of 38% +/- 23%, Catheters were left in place for a m ean duration of 5.7 days, Catheter-related sepsis occurred with 4.9% o f the catheters, and mechanical complications occurred in 3.5% of the patients. There was no statistically significant association between t he risk of catheter sepsis and the placement of catheters through burn ed versus unburned skin. Similarly, the risk of sepsis was equivalent between lines placed over a guide wire and those placed at a new site. Conclusion: Femoral venous catheters are safe in burned children and are associated with a low incidence of infectious and mechanical compl ications.