• J F Williams, M G Seneff, B C Friedman, B J McGrath, R Gregg, J Sunner, and J E Zimmerman.
• Department of Anesthesiology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037.
• Crit. Care Med. 1991 Apr 1; 19 (4): 550-3.

ObjectiveTo determine the frequency of clinically important complications of femoral venous catheters.DesignProspective survey of major and minor complications.SettingA mixed medical/surgical ICU in a university hospital.PatientsOne hundred twenty-three patients admitted to the ICU who underwent femoral venous catheterization over a 2-yr period.Measurements And Main ResultsThere were 150 catheters inserted in 123 patients for a mean duration of 6.4 days. There were no major complications including catheter-related sepsis. Minor complications consisted of arterial puncture (9.3%), local bleeding (10%), and local inflammation (4.7%). Critical care fellows had a significantly lower rate (6%) of insertion complications than interns or medical students (16%). We did not specifically look at the frequency of deep venous thrombosis.ConclusionsFemoral venous catheterization offers an alternative site of insertion to the subclavian and jugular veins for central venous access in the critically ill. The occurrence rate of clinically important complications is acceptably low.

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