Do simultaneous bilateral tunneled infusion catheters in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation increase catheter-related complications?

Purpose: Secure venous access with multiple lumens is necessary for the care of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. The outcomes associated with simultaneous bilateral tunneled internal jugular infusion catheter placement in the HSCT recipient population were investigated in an attempt to determine whether simultaneous introduction of these catheters compounds or magnifies the risks (infection, venous thrombosis) associated with tunneled catheters.

Materials And Methods: Patients undergoing HSCT and receiving bilateral tunneled infusion catheters in a single procedure were identified using a quality assurance data base.