Peripherally inserted central catheter in newborns: Removal factors

Abstract

Objective: to identify the main factors of removal of the peripherally inserted central catheter in newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit and to verify the association of variables of the newborn and the catheter with the removal factors. Method: retrospective, documentary, cross-sectional and quantitative research. The participants were 136 newborns. For the analysis, the Chi-square test was used, adopting a 5% significance level. Results: the main factors of removal of the peripherally inserted central catheter were: end of therapy (58.3%), presumed catheter/phlebitis infection (23.5%), accidental disruption/expulsion/difficulty in viewing the catheter tip/others (7.5%), infiltration (6%) and obstruction (6%). There were significant associations between gestational age (p<0.001), number of diagnoses of the newborn (p=0.018), catheter positioning (p<0.01) and the outcome variable factors of peripherally inserted central catheter removal. Conclusion: gestational age, number of diagnoses and catheter positioning were the main predictors associated with removal factors.