Percutaneously placed central venous lines have become an intricate part of the medical
management of the very low birth weight infant. It is critically important that health
care providers involved with the placement of these catheters be familiar with the
possible subtle sites for catheter misplacement. We present two case reports of inadvertent
ascending lumbar vein catheterization with a percutaneously placed Silastic catheter
where the saphenous vein was used for venous access. The literature is reviewed with
regard to the history of use, indications, placement, and associated complications
of these catheters.
Umbilical venous catheter - percutaneous central venous line - ascending lumbar vein
- vertebral venous plexuses
