Sergio Sandrucci • Baudolino Mussa
Editors

2014

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), used since the 1940s for hemodynamic measurement and with a limited clinical role, were reintroduced in the 1970s as an alternative to non-tunnelled central vascular catheters (CVCs) for the delivery of total parenteral nutrition. Initially, polyethylene catheters were used, but their use was hampered by high complication rates, specifically thrombophlebitis and catheter sepsis.