Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in the CF population: one center's experience.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common fatal genetic disorder characterized by chronic pulmonary infections, some of which require intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics. Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have proven to be an effective means of i.v. delivery in a variety of populations. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of PICCs for patients at a CF center in New England was conducted over a 25-consecutive month period. During this time, 61 PICCs were placed in 32 patients with CF requiring i.v. antibiotics. The catheters were in place for a median of 15 days (range 1-155 days). The total number of catheter days in this series was 1,139. Although no serious complications were encountered, minor complications or technical problems occurred in 18 (29.5%) of the 61 catheters. Complications included external breaks in the catheters, shoulder pain, phlebitis, catheter occlusion, accidental dislodgement, local irritation at the insertion site, and yeast infection at the insertion site. No long-term sequelae resulted, and the rate of i.v. antibiotic completion with this mode of i.v. access was high. As a result of the evaluation, PICC access remains the standard of care at this institution for patients with CF requiring i.v. antibiotics for pulmonary exacerbations.