Internal jugular and upper extremity central venous access in interventional radiology: is a postprocedure chest radiograph necessary?

OBJECTIVE

The necessity of obtaining a postprocedure chest radiograph after central venous access using the upper extremity or internal jugular veins and interventional radiologic techniques was evaluated.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A prospective study of 937 consecutive central venous access procedures in interventional radiology using the internal jugular veins or upper extremities was performed from June 1995 through September 1997. Established interventional radiologic techniques were used to place various ports (n = 34) and tunneled (n = 670) and nontunneled (n = 233) catheters. All catheters were positioned using fluoroscopy and readjusted if necessary before termination of the procedure. Afterward, a chest radiograph was obtained with the patient upright to evaluate catheter position and possible procedural complications. Procedural complications and manipulations or interventions that resulted from the radiographic findings were noted. In addition, nursing time for acquisition of the chest radiograph was recorded.

RESULTS

We found seven procedural complications (four air emboli, two pneumothoraces, one innominate vein laceration) significant enough to alter the patient's treatment. These complications were apparent during the examination. Postprocedure chest radiography failed to reveal any unknown complications and revealed only one catheter sufficiently malpositioned to require manipulation. The amount of nursing time to acquire postprocedure chest radiographs ranged from 8 to 40 min (mean, 23 min) per patient.

CONCLUSION

When imaging guidance and interventional radiologic techniques are used for upper extremity and internal jugular central venous access, performing postprocedure chest radiography yields little benefit.