Effects of Different PICC Catheterization Methods: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

August 25, 2026 updated by: Zeyin Hu, Sun Yat-sen University
This study aims to compare the clinical effectiveness of three PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) insertion methods: conventional non-tunneled PICC, one-needle tunneled PICC, and two-needle tunneled PICC. This is a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 11 hospitals in China, with a total of 801 patients scheduled to undergo PICC insertion for the first time. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the three groups. The primary outcome is the incidence of post-insertion complications (including oozing, infection, thrombosis, catheter dislodgement, etc.) within 90 days. Secondary outcomes include one-time puncture success rate, pain level (NRS), bleeding volume, catheterization time, and unplanned catheter removal rate. The results will provide evidence for selecting the optimal PICC insertion method in clinical practice.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study adopts a prospective, multicenter, three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled design. A total of 801 patients will be recruited from 11 hospitals and randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the three groups. The control group receives conventional non-tunneled PICC insertion. Experimental group 1 receives one-needle tunneled insertion (the needle travels subcutaneously for 4 cm before entering the vessel). Experimental group 2 receives two-needle tunneled insertion (with a 4 cm subcutaneous tunnel created using a tunneling tool). All insertions are performed by certified PICC nurses with over 5 years of experience who have received standardized training. The primary outcome is the overall incidence of catheter-related complications within 90 days post-insertion. Secondary outcomes include one-time puncture success rate, NRS pain score, intraoperative bleeding volume, catheterization time, and unplanned catheter removal rate. Outcome assessors and data analysts are blinded to group allocation. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Approval No. B2026-467-01, dated August 10, 2026).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
801

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Guangdong
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510000
        • Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 to 75 years
  • Education level of primary school or above, with adequate reading, writing and --communication skills to independently complete the questionnaire
  • First-time PICC insertion using a 4Fr single-lumen solo PICC catheter
  • Able to attend follow-up visits at the same hospital for catheter maintenance after insertion
  • Willing to participate in the study and sign the informed consent form and PICC insertion consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Coagulation dysfunction (INR > 1.5 or PLT < 25 × 10⁹/L)
  • Use of anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin, heparin) within 3 days before catheterization
  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • BMI < 18.5 kg/m²
  • Patients requiring lower extremity PICC insertion
  • Known or suspected allergy to components of the PICC catheter

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Conventional Non-Tunneled PICC catheterization
Patients receive conventional non-tunneled PICC insertion. The procedure involves ultrasound-guided vein puncture, guidewire insertion, local anesthesia and skin dilation, followed by sheath and catheter advancement. The catheter exit site is at the puncture site.
Procedure: Conventional Non-Tunneled PICC catheterization
Ultrasound-guided vein puncture, followed by guidewire insertion, local anesthesia, skin dilation, sheath advancement, and catheter delivery. The catheter exit site is at the puncture site with no subcutaneous tunnel created.
Experimental: One-Needle Tunneled PICC catheterization
Patients receive one-needle tunneled PICC insertion. The puncture needle travels subcutaneously for 4 cm before entering the vessel, creating a subcutaneous tunnel. The skin puncture and catheter exit sites are the same. This technique requires only one needle pass for both tunneling and vessel puncture.
Procedure: One-Needle Tunneled PICC catheterization
The puncture needle travels subcutaneously for 4 cm before entering the vessel, creating a subcutaneous tunnel with a single needle pass. The puncture site and catheter exit site are the same. This technique combines tunneling and vessel puncture in one step.
Experimental: Two-Needle Tunneled PICC catheterization
Patients receive two-needle tunneled PICC insertion. Ultrasound-guided vein puncture is performed first, followed by creation of a 4 cm subcutaneous tunnel using a tunneling tool. The puncture site and catheter exit site are separate, with a subcutaneous tunnel connecting them.
Procedure: Two-Needle Tunneled PICC catheterization
A two-step procedure: first, ultrasound-guided vein puncture is performed; then, a separate subcutaneous tunnel of 4 cm is created using a tunneling tool. The puncture site and catheter exit site are separate, connected by a subcutaneous tunnel. The catheter is pulled through the tunnel from the exit site to the puncture site.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Overall Incidence of Catheter-Related Complications Within 90 Days Post-catheterization
Time Frame: From catheterization to 90 days post-catheterization
The composite endpoint includes: oozing/exudation at the catheter exit site, mechanical phlebitis, catheter-related bloodstream infection, local or tunnel infection, catheter-related thrombosis, catheter dislodgement or migration, catheter occlusion, contact dermatitis, and catheter breakage or damage. All complications are assessed from the day of insertion up to 90 days post-insertion.
From catheterization to 90 days post-catheterization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
One-Time Puncture Success Rate
Time Frame: Day 1 During catheterization procedure
Proportion of patients in whom the first puncture successfully enters the vein and the guidewire is smoothly advanced.
Day 1 During catheterization procedure
Pain Intensity During Catheterization (NRS Score)
Time Frame: Day 1 Immediately after catheterization procedure
Pain level assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS, 0 = no pain, 10 = worst imaginable pain) immediately after catheterization.
Day 1 Immediately after catheterization procedure
Intraoperative Bleeding Volume
Time Frame: Day 1 From start to end of catheterization procedure
Total bleeding volume during catheterization, calculated by weighing gauze pads before and after the procedure (converted using whole blood specific gravity of 1.05 g/mL).
Day 1 From start to end of catheterization procedure
Catheterization Procedure Time
Time Frame: Day 1 During catheterization procedure
Time from the first skin puncture to the moment the catheter is delivered to the predetermined length.
Day 1 During catheterization procedure
Unplanned Catheter Removal Rate
Time Frame: From Day 1 catheterization to 90 days post-catheterization
Proportion of catheters removed prematurely due to complications (e.g., infection, thrombosis, dislodgement, occlusion) before the completion of treatment.
From Day 1 catheterization to 90 days post-catheterization

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Sun Yat-sen University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital
The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
Jiangsu Cancer Institute & Hospital
Shenzhen People's Hospital
First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University
Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University
Zhongshan People's Hospital, Guangdong, China
Jieyang People's Hospital
Haikou People's Hospital
Gansu Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Different PICC catheterization

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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