Diagnostic accuracy of the Catheter Injection and Aspiration (CINAS) classification for assessing the function of totally implantable venous access devices

Intravenous catheters are used for the administration of intravenous therapy and for blood sampling. These devices are considered as well-functioning if both the injection and aspiration are easy. Malfunction is frequently observed and usually vaguely described as occlusion. We developed the CINAS, the Catheter Injection and Aspiration scheme. The CINAS is a catheter function classification tool, which classifies both the injection and the aspiration ability in a uniform way. Each CINAS class consists of a combination of an injection (IN) and an aspiration (AS) code: e.g. IN1AS1 is the CINAS class for a well-functioning catheter. In this series, we aimed to determine the accuracy of the CINAS class reported by nurses, after minimal training, versus a trained researcher, acting as a reference standard.