PICC use in intensive care – Full Text

"Obtaining central venous access is a priority in the management of every critically ill patient, since it provides a more stable access than peripheral vascular access and allows the administration of several drugs simultaneously (multi-lumen catheters), even irritating medications, and the performance of techniques (such as dialysis with a proper catheter)" Veiga et al (2026).

"Obtaining central venous access is a priority in the management of every critically ill patient, since it provides a more stable access than peripheral vascular access and allows the administration of several drugs simultaneously (multi-lumen catheters), even irritating medications, and the performance of techniques (such as dialysis with a proper catheter)" Veiga et al (2026).

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PICC use in intensive care

Extract:

“Obtaining central venous access is a priority in the management of every critically ill patient, since it provides a more stable access than peripheral vascular access and allows the administration of several drugs simultaneously (multi-lumen catheters), even irritating medications, and the performance of techniques (such as dialysis with a proper catheter). Besides, they can also be used as part of hemodynamic monitoring.

Currently, a central venous access can be obtained with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) or a central venous catheter (CVC). The PICC is placed using a modified Seldinger technique, usually in the basilic vein. They have 1 or 2 lumens, and they should be cut according to the distance from the insertion site to the right atrium (on average, 52cm on the right and 56cm on the left). The CVC is placed using the Seldinger technique in a central vein (internal jugular, subclavian, or femoral), it has 1 to 5 lumens, and the length is usually between 15 – 25cm.”

Reference:

Veiga VC, Soares PHR, Kalil A, Póvoa P. A critical use of peripherally inserted central catheters in the intensive care unit. Crit Care Sci. 2026 Mar 30;38:e20260237. doi: 10.62675/2965-2774.20260237. PMID: 41919853.