Effect of indwelling depth of peripheral intravenous catheters on thrombophlebitis

To clarify the effect of catheter indwelling depth on the occurrence of thrombophlebitis, a total of 339 hospitalized patients were randomly enrolled and divided by the catheter indwelling depth into 2 groups. Then the effect of indwelling depth on thrombophlebitis was analyzed, and the independent influence factors on the occurrence of thrombophlebitis were clarified. There were 49 cases of thrombophlebitis, including 8 tumor-bearing patients and 41 patients with lung infection. Thirteen of the 135 patients with indwelling depth of 1 cm, and 36 of the 204 patients with indwelling depth of 1.9 cm suffered thrombophlebitis. The relationship between incidence rate of thrombophlebitis and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. It was found the incidence of thrombophlebitis was significantly correlated with males (X2 = 5.77), lung infection (X2 = 7.79), and indwelling depth of 1.9 cm (X2 = 4.223). Multifactor analysis of variance showed the significant independent risk factors of thrombophlebitis were male [hazard ratio (HR) 3.12 (1.39-6.98)], and lung infection (HR 0.22 [0.06-0.69]), and the indwelling depth of 1.9 cm affected the occurrence of thrombophlebitis (HR 0.79 [0.42 -3.09]) but was not an independent risk factor. In our treatment center, while appropriate fixation was ensured, the catheter indwelling depth shall be as short as possible, so as to reduce the occurrence of thrombophlebitis. For patients with lung infection, nursing at the intubation site shall be strengthened, so as to decrease thrombophlebitis.