Flebitis asociada con accesos venosos periféricos en niños: Revisión sistemática de la literatura

Abstract Objective To carry out a systematic review of the literature on the occurrence of phlebitis related to short peripheral venous catheters in children. Methodology We searched PubMed, Scopus and Scielo databases using venous catheter, infection, phlebitis and synonyms as free terms, no language restriction, in the last 10 years (since the CDC made its recommendations). Results From an initial total of 1486 references, 9 measured the frequency of phlebitis and its relationship to the time of catheter placement. These studies were performed on heterogeneous populations, with varying definitions of phlebitis and various outcomes of interest. The time of occurrence of phlebitis was always a secondary endpoint. Discussion Unlike adults, in children there are no studies assessing the appropriate amount of time to maintain a short peripheral venous catheter. More research is needed in this field.