What are the complications of central venous catheters?
Central IV lines have the same complications as peripheral IV lines. However, some of their complications are more severe. If a central line perforates a large blood vessel, especially if it is in a non-compressible area such as the Subclavian vein, bleeding can be hazardous. Infections also tend to be more severe if they develop on central lines, because of the higher flow through them and because of the possibility for bacterial vegetations to accumulate and grow on the catheter tip.
