Prospective clinical study on the incidence of catheter-related complications in a neurological intensive care unit: 4 years of experience.

Introduction: Over the past decades, significant efforts have been made to reduce early and late catheter-related complications in critically ill patients, using approaches based on bundles of evidence-based interventions.

Methods: In this prospective clinical study, the authors evaluated the incidence of catheter-related complications in their neuro-intensive care unit during a 4-year period, adopting systematically the GAVeCeLT bundles for the insertion and management of all central venous access devices: centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and femorally inserted central catheters (FICCs). All early/immediate and late complications were recorded.