Arm-inserted catheters may outperform neck catheters for leukemia

A retrospective study from LMU University Hospital in Munich, published in Supportive Care in Cancer, compared two central catheter types used during remission induction chemotherapy for adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Between June 2019 and March 2024, 116 patients received intensive chemotherapy: 59 with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and 57 with centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs). Patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia and those with additional central devices, such as ports, were excluded, and only the first catheter was analyzed. The catheter choice was based on preference and clinical judgment, not randomization. Insertions followed standardized sterile and ultrasound protocols using the Seldinger technique.