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Central venous infusion catheters that are usually inserted into the external jugular or cephalic vein via a surgical cutdown, or more frequently by a percutaneous approach using the Seldinger technique. The catheter is tunneled toward the vein entry site or tunneled away from the insertion site, depending on the type of catheter used. The insertion site is surgically closed and the catheter is anchored in a place at the exit site with a suture, so it has a protruding segment from the middle of the chest. The length of these catheters is typically 55 to 90 cm (22 to 35 inches), and they usually consist of a silicone elastomer (silastic) or polyurethane radiopaque tube of 0.22 to 0.32 mm diameter that includes one or two Dacron cuffs about 30 cm (12 inches) from the hub and a Luer lock at their proximal end. Tunneled central venous catheters are used for long-term (weeks, months, or even years) hyperalimentation and fluid administration in patients with diseases (e.g., Crohn\'s disease, intestinal malabsorption syndrome) or any other conditions that prevent them from taking in orally enough nutrients to maintain life. They are also used for administration of chemotherapy, antibiotics, transfusion, or other fluids in patients who need prolonged intravenous support.
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