CATHETER FRACTURE- A RARE COMPLICATION OF PERIPHERALLY INSERTED CENTRAL CATHETER (PICC)

Abstract

The Peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) is a thin and long flexible catheter made of biocompatible material, either silicone or polyurethane, inserted percutaneously into the basilic or cephalic vein in the forearm or the antecubital fossa, often with the help of ultrasound or fluoroscopy guidance. The catheter is then advanced into the central circulation with tip of the catheter most often placed in the superior vena cava or at the caval-atrial junction. Although peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) offer advantages over traditional central venous approaches, PICC lines are associated with a number of insertion and maintenance problems. We present a case of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) on modified Berlin Frankfurt – Munster (BFM) protocol with a rare complication of catheter fracture.