Infrequent infections associated with Hickman catheters

Since its development, the Hickman right atrial catheter has been used with increasing frequency in cancer centers. The catheter provides a safe and reliable means of venous access, as well as promoting comfort for the patient. Although complications are few, the potential for infection involving the catheter is present at any time following insertion. Hickman catheters are inserted into all patients admitted to the bone marrow transplant intensive care ward in Seattle, Washington. In a 2/2-year period, catheters were placed in 260 patients. With only minimal care of the catheter exit site and frequent use of the catheter, only 4% of this population developed catheter infections significant enough to warrant catheter removal.