Central venous access

Written By B L

A central venous catheter (CVC) is a tube or device that is inserted beneath your skin into a large vein so there is a simple, pain-free way for you to receive blood draws, IV medication or nutrition. When you have a CVC, repeat needlesticks are often unnecessary. More than 3.4 million CVCs are placed each year, and doctors increasingly recommend their use. There are several types of CVCs, including tunneled catheters (Hickman or Broviac), peripherally inserted central catheters (also called PICCs), dialysis catheters and implantable ports.

Doctors often recommend these devices for patients who regularly have:

  • Chemotherapy treatments

  • Infusions of antibiotics or other medications

  • Nutritional supplements

  • Hemodialysis

B L
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