The application of the caval catheter in emergency medicine and
intensive care has today become routine. Generally, even in severe shock
this route of access to the cardiovascular system is available in order
to apply life saving volume substitution. It also permits longterm
infusions in modern intensive care, particularly continuous
administration of high-osmolarity solutions in par- enteral nutrition.
In both fields it represents one of the most important diagnostic
parameters of circulatory disorders, enabl- ing the registration of
central venous pressure. Its undeniable advantages are counterbalanced
by the dangers inherent in all invasive methods. Since sufficient
experience and precise sta- tistics are now at our disposal, the time
has come for a provisional survey. While a few years ago it was
considered mandatory to propagate the central venous access in order to
advance new therapeutic and diagnostic methods, it is now necessary to
recon- sider and reformulate indications for its use. In this task it is
essential to weigh the expected advantages against the possible
complications in each and every case of catheter application. Cri- tical
scrutiny must include evaluation of techniques, approaches, and finally
catheter materials; this paper presents the results of such a survey.
The physician is hereby given the opportunity of being completely
informed of evaluating the validity of his standard procedures. VIm,
April 1977 C. BURRI F. W. AHNEFELD Table of Contents I. Introduction. .
. . . . . . . 1 II. Indications for Caval Catheter 3 A. Caval Catheter
in Emergency Situations 3 B.
