How often should a peripheral IV be changed

Currently the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that peripheral catheters do not need to be replaced more frequently than every 72–96 h to reduce the risk of infection and phlebitis in adults.

Although results from some observational studies have shown that the risk of phlebitis rises with increasing catheter dwell time,

2

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other studies have not confirmed this finding.

8

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Catheter replacement trials are frequently limited by study design and small sample size.

8

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  • Rickard C
  • Hall J

Clinically-indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters.

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Therefore, the study in The Lancet by Claire Rickard and colleagues,

which compares intravenous catheter replacement in adults every 3 days with replacement when clinically indicated, is a major contribution to this debate. It is a large (3283 patients), multisite, randomised trial with high quality methods, excellent enrolment (97%) and follow-up (100%), and broad inclusion criteria.

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Article Info

Publication History

Published: 22 September 2012

Identification

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61338-5

Copyright

© 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Linked Articles

  • Routine versus clinically indicated replacement of peripheral intravenous catheters: a randomised controlled equivalence trial
    • Peripheral intravenous catheters can be removed as clinically indicated; this policy will avoid millions of catheter insertions, associated discomfort, and substantial costs in both equipment and staff workload. Ongoing close monitoring should continue with timely treatment cessation and prompt removal for complications.

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