Ultrasonography and Fluoroscopy Guided Percutaneous Placement of Hickman Catheters in Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: Hickman catheters (HCs) are commonly used in children who need bone marrow transplantation. Although several methods of implantation have been described, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of ultrasonography-and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous insertion of HCs into a central vein in children. Materials and Methods: Data from patients who were hospitalized for ultrasonography-and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous placement of HCs from August 2014 to January 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. The data were evaluated with respect to patient characteristics, complications, HC features, and outcomes. Results: Three hundred and six times HC positioned in 206 patients were evaluated. One hundred and twenty-six patients were male, and the remaining 80 were female. The age of the patients ranged from 2 months to 19 (range, 7.31±4.85) years. HC implantation was technically successful in all patients. The right jugular vein was the preferred access vein in 87.4% of HCs. The length of time between HC placement and removal was 147±108.9 days (range, 7–795 days). Three (0.01%) of the recorded complications were classified as early postoperative. Two of those three patients developed bleeding, and one had cardiac tamponade. No mortality was related to HC insertion during the perioperative or postoperative period. Conclusion: Ultrasonography-and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous HC insertion in a central vein is safe and applicable to all children regardless of size, age, or diagnosis.