Impact of subcutaneous tunnel length on infection risk in tunneled PICCs: a study in cancer patient

Tunneled peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are crucial for delivering long-term intravenous therapies to cancer patients. We compared PICC-related complications among different patient groups and identify potential factors contributing to these complications. A total of 402 cancer patients who received tunneled PICC placement in our hospital were enrolled in this study. We then compared their general data, PICC-related characteristics, pain score and anxiety score, and PICC-related complications. Extravasation length were varied significantly between groups, with the highest length observed in Group A4. Analysis of catheter type showed a predominance of 4Fr and 4 F catheters. Needle size and catheter material used also differed significantly between groups. High-pressure single-lumen catheters were the most common. In addition, pain and anxiety scores were significantly different between the groups, with the A3 group scoring the highest in both areas. There were significant differences between the groups in PICC-related complications, particularly "Difficulty in Removal", which was significantly higher in the A4 group (7.2%). Attention to differences in gender distribution, BMI, PICC-related characteristics, and pain and anxiety scores in cancer patients in the clinical setting is important in developing an individualized approach to PICC placement.