Background: The use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) in neonates has been established for numerous years, with significant advancements and enhancements observed in PICC technology over time. The objective of this study is to investigate the application trend of PICC over a 10-year period in a single-center neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methodology: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the infants admitted between January 2012 and October 2021 who underwent PICC catheterization. Data pertaining to gestational age, birth weight, catheter weight, placement site, and indwelling time, as well as the occurrence of infection and complications, were collected. The data was collated, and statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States).

Results: Out of the 1928 enrolled infants who underwent PICC catheterization, 1033 (53.58%) were males, and 895 (46.42%) were females. On the day of placement, their mean gestational age was 30.49±0.70 weeks, and their mean weight was 1398.26±14.05 g. Over the past 10 years, the number of PICC has consistently increased. The majority of cases were due to lower and right limb catheterization, with 1749 (90.72%) lower limb cases and 1477 (76.61%) right limb cases. The duration of catheter indwelling was 19.35±0.27 days. There were 297 cases (15.40%) of catheter-related complications, which included 107 cases (5.55%) of phlebitis, 71 cases (3.68%) of catheter obstruction, and 51 cases (2.65%) of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI). The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the catheter site (upper extremity/lower extremity) (OR=0.612; 95% CI: 0.414-0.905; p=0.014) and catheter tip position (OR=1.903; 95% CI: 1.200-3.017; p=0.006) were associated with catheter complications.

Conclusions: During neonatal PICC catheterization in the NICU, the preferred approach is to perform venous catheterization of the lower extremities and ensure that the catheter tip remains positioned within the vena cava. This technique is associated with a reduction in catheter-related complications.

Fu X, Li Z, Yao L, Haq IU, Wang L, Li L, Hu X. Utilization of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in Neonates Within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Decadal Single-Center Study. Cureus. 2025 Jan 24;17(1):e77904. doi: 10.7759/cureus.77904. PMID: 39996223; PMCID: PMC11848227.