Chapter 17: Vascular access devices: insertion and management
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Skin‐tunnelled catheters
Definition
A skin‐tunnelled catheter is a long‐term catheter that lies in a subcutaneous tunnel before entering a central vein (usually subclavian) (Hadaway [194]). The tunnel commonly exits between the sternum and the nipple. The tip lies at the junction of the superior vena cava (SVC) and the right atrium or within the lower portion of the SVC or the upper right atrium (Dougherty [123], Galloway and Bodenham [165]) (Figure 17.38).
Figure 17.38 Tunnelled catheter. (a) Anatomical positioning of tunnelled catheter. (b) Patient with tunnelled catheter in situ.
