ARE ROUTINE CHEST RADIOGRAPHS NECESSARY AFTER IMAGE-GUIDED PLACEMENT OF INTERNAL JUGULAR CENTRAL VENOUS ACCESS DEVICES

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the value and co st of obtaining routine chest radiographs after image-guided placement of internal jugular central venous catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We reviewed the records of 424 patients in whom 572 internal jugular c atheters were placed by sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance over a 2 -year period, Inspiratory and expiratory chest radiographs obtained im mediately after each procedure were also reviewed. RESULTS. Routine po stprocedural chest radiographs revealed no complications and did not a lter the treatment of any patient. Delayed pneumothorax was detected a fter placement of two catheters (0.5%) when patient symptoms prompted additional radiographs. CONCLUSION. Immediate postprocedural chest rad iographs are not routinely needed after image-guided insertion of inte rnal jugular central venous catheters and unnecessarily add to the cos t of patient care.