General Session - Peds
Children with chronic illness who require prolonged or repeated venous access are at high risk for venous catheter-related complications, especially infection, thrombosis, mechanical dysfunction, and vein and soft-tissue injury. These complications result in progressive loss of patent and compliant venous pathways necessary for delivery of life-preserving therapies. This presentation will review recommendations that can help preserve central veins, and help stakeholders improve care and quality of life for these patients. These recommendations are patient-centered, multidisciplinary, collaborative and evidence-based, and are intended to enable every practitioner in every practice to deliver better care and better outcomes to these patients through awareness of critical issues, anticipatory attention to meaningful components of care, and appropriate consultation or referral when necessary. These recommendations should also serve as a foundation for the carefully constructed investigations needed to provide high-quality evidence that can guide their use and modification over time.