Indications, Dwell Time, and Removal Reasons of Standardized Mid-Thigh Lower-Extremity PICCs in Adult ICU Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

TL;DR

This study examines the use of mid-thigh PICCs in ICU patients, focusing on their placement reasons, duration, and removal causes.

Contribution

The study provides real-world data on standardized mid-thigh PICC usage in ICU settings, highlighting clinical patterns and outcomes.

Findings

Prolonged intravenous antibiotics were the main reason for PICC placement.

Catheters were most often removed due to patient death or discharge.

Bloodstream infections were rare, with only one positive catheter culture.

Abstract

Lower-extremity peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are used in critically ill adults when upper-extremity access is limited, yet real-world data on indications, dwell time, and device-related outcomes remain scarce. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive ultrasound-guided mid-thigh lower-extremity PICC placements performed under a standardized protocol (15 cm below the inguinal ligament; fixed 55-cm insertion depth) in an adult ICU and extracted indication patterns, catheter dwell time, removal reasons, and microbiological findings. Among 38 placements in 37 patients, difficult peripheral access was present in all cases; prolonged intravenous antibiotics were the predominant indication (34/38, 89.5%), followed by total parenteral nutrition (13/38, 34.2%) and vasopressor therapy (2/38, 5.3%). Median dwell time was 19.5 days (IQR 12–25; range 3–48). Catheters were most commonly removed due to death (15/38, 39.5%), discharge (13/38, 34.2%), or no longer being clinically indicated (8/38, 21.1%), while removal for suspected catheter infection/fever occurred in 2/38 (5.3%). A catheter-drawn culture was positive in 1/38 (2.6%; Candida albicans), whereas peripheral blood cultures were positive in 4/38 (10.5%). In this single-center retrospective descriptive cohort, standardized mid-thigh lower-extremity PICCs were used for prolonged venous access. Removals for suspected infection/fever evaluation were uncommon; however, CRBSI was not adjudicated and thrombosis surveillance was not performed. These findings describe local utilization patterns and support future comparative studies and stewardship-focused quality improvement.

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