Obstruction of peripherally inserted central catheters in newborns: prevention is the best intervention

m s Peripherally inserted central catheters have become essential devices for continuous or intermittent administration of intravenous therapy, from intermediate to long-term, especially in the intensive care of newborns.1 Known in clinical practice as PICCs, the acronym for peripherally inserted central catheters, they are used for infusion of fluids, drugs, parenteral nutrition and blood products, promoting improved quality of care as they are associated with reduction of pain and stress caused by the need for multiple peripheral venipuncture procedures, as well as with a presumed lower risk of complications associated with central venous catheters.1,2 Since the first clinical reports of PICC use in the 1970s, technological improvement of raw materials, insertion techniques and performance in the infusion volume maintenance of small-diameter catheters allowed advances in the care of newborns, particularly in the administration of drugs and solutions with extreme pH and osmolarity, or solutions that are vesicant or irritant to tissues.2,3 In spite of the benefits, the use of PICC in newborns is characterized as a complex procedure and requires the use