Consistent venous access is essential for the delivery of a number of medical treatments.
The decision on which type of venous access to select is dependent on the following:
- Type of drug to be administered
- Irritant drugs
- Multiple drugs required to be administered at the same time which requires higher infusion volumes
- Duration of treatment which may be a few days to years
- Age and health of the patient: Peripheral intravenous lines are less suited for newborns, infants and the elderly, all of whose veins may be difficult to access.
- Patient comfort: For long-term infusions, such as chemotherapy, a CVC avoids multiple punctures and the restriction of the patient’s mobility.
