Vascular Access
A vascular access is a procedure wherein a thin tube is inserted in a vein in the arm, in the neck or in the chest just beneath the collarbone.
The tube is then threaded into a major vein in the middle of the chest. In many conditions, having this type of tube inserted provides a simple and painless means of drawing blood, or delivering drugs, nutrients or both. This also spares the patient the discomfort and stress of repeated needle sticks. These so-called central catheters can remain in place for weeks, months or even years.
In addition, there are various types of catheters or devices that can be used in this procedure.