Protocol to Control the Bedside Ultrasound-Guided Peripherally-Inserted Central Catheter-Related Infection in Elderly Intensive-Care-Unit Patients in a Small-Volume Center in Korea

We performed a retrospective analysis of the data from a total of 241 patients (n=241). A total of 161 (66.8%) patients received the peripherally-inserted central catheter (PICC) for long-term intravenous access, 172 (71.4%) had no past history of receiving catheters and 142 (58.9%) received the PICC on the right side. Target veins include basilic vein (42.7% [103/241]), brachial vein (41.9% [101/241]) and cephalic vein (15.4% [37/241]). There were a total of five cases (2.1%) of the PICC-related infection. Of these, one case (0.4%) was the PICC-related bloodstream infection; Candida parapsilosis was identified from both the PICC tip and blood samples. A total of 224 patients (92.9%) had optimal positions of the PICC tip. Male sex (OR 0.183; 95% CI 0.050-0.675, p=0.011), the length of a catheter (OR 0.794; 95% CI 0.657-0.960, p=0.017) and right side (OR 4.711; 95% CI 1.227-18.091, p=0.024) were significant risk factors of non-optimal positions of the catheter. Time-to-events are estimated at 56.02±1.37 days (95% CI 53.33-58.71). Here, we describe our single-center, retrospective experience with bedside ultrasound (US)-guided PICCs in elderly ICU patients in a small-volume center.