Peripheral Venous Catheterization Success and Affecting Factors in Newborns

INTRODUCTION: The application of peripheral venous catheters in neonatal units is a widely utilized technique including risks in newborns. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence, risk factors, and complications of peripheral venous catheterization attempts in newborns.
METHODS: This descriptive study, treatment and care of a university hospital neonatal intensive care unit in the 87 neonatal peripheral venous catheters 406 applications were observed in Turkey. The research was applied between July-October 2019. The variables of the study were gender, age, week of gestation, catheterization site, and type of catheter, insertion attempt number, catheter length of stay, and complication.
RESULTS: 406 catheters were monitored for 36.5 ± 13.8 hours and 118 of 246 catheters were removed after the completion of the treatment (Success 47.97%). The most preferential regions were the dorsal region (58.13%) and the cubital fossa (14.22%) and the dorsal area of the feet (15.04%). The most common complications were found to be infiltration/extravasation (35.77%) and phlebitis (8.94%).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The preferential application locations are the dorsal hand and the cubital fossa, with less complication, longer catheterization, and less procedure for catheterization. The dorsal region on hand is recommended as the first choice in terms of fewer trials for cannulation.