About insertion of a central venous catheter

A central venous catheter, or central line, is a long hollow tube made of silicon rubber which is placed into one of the large veins in the body. One end of the line remains outside the body and can be used for injections. The other end is positioned inside a large vein, usually near to the heart. There are a number of veins into which the catheter can be placed; the most common being the axillary vein that lies just beneath the clavicle (collar bone) or the jugular vein that lies just above the clavicle at the base of the neck.

The particular vein that we use, and the side of the body, will depend on the reasons that you require a central line. It will also depend on how large the veins are when we examine them with an ultrasound machine during the insertion. The best position and site for you will be discussed before the operation; however, it is sometimes impossible to decide until during the procedure.