One hundred consecutive central venous catheters in children.

A prospective study of central venous catheterisation for parenteral treatment was carried out. The catheters were used for a variety of purposes, the majority for intravenous feeding alone. Three types of catheter were used - fine silastic tubing, Vygon Leader Caths and cuffed Hickman and Broviac catheters. The mean catheter life was 42 days with a range of 1-400 days. Sixty-two catheters were removed prior to completion of treatment. In this series the Hickman catheters were remarkably trouble-free.