Open Book: CVC removal (July 2015)

This report alerts providers to key findings of a recent review, and highlights changes put in place to stop such an event happening again.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are used for some hospitalised patients. For most patients, a CVC causes no harm; however some patients are susceptible to rare, infectious complications associated with CVCs, particularly at the time of removal. Over recent years hospitals have focused on reducing these complications.

This report is intended for:

• chief medical officers and directors of nursing
• clinical staff working with CVCs
• nurses removing CVCs.