German Point Prevalence Study on CVC

It has now been 90 years since Werner Forssmann developed the CVC. Nowadays CVCs play an integral role for critically ill patients.

Despite the high number of central venous access devices inserted annually, there are limited data on the incidence of the associated procedural complications, many of which carry substantial clinical risk. This point was highlighted in recently published Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland "Safe vascular access 2016" guidelines and "Clinical guidelines on central venous catheterisation" in 2014 of the Swedish Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine.

This German point prevalence study should identify the number of central venous catheter insertions and the incidence of various and especially serious mechanical complications across multiple hospital sites within one day.

Secondary aims are to identify the availability of resources and infrastructure to facilitate safe central venous catheter insertion and management of potential complications.

As much hospital sites as possible should participate and identify all adult central venous catheter insertions, with subsequent review of any complications detected.

Additionally, resources while inserting the CVC should be specified such as ultrasound for assessment of ultrasound anatomy and/or ultrasound-guidance. Furthermore, assessment of the CVC tip should be studied whether done during CVC placement with

• ECG-guidance or by
• transthoracic/transesophageal ultrasound with the Microbubble test or more conventional post hoc with
• bedside chest X-ray Any mechanical complication should be documented untill day three post insertion. The background is to identify possible perforations due to initially unfavorable CVC tip positions (angle > 40 ° to wall of the superior vena cava).

Participation in the study is open to all disciplines (anesthesia, intensive care, internal medicine, surgery, etc.) that regularly perform CVCs.