Protecting Skin Around CVADs in Children Receiving Cancer Treatment

Study Overview

Central venous access devices (CVADs) are essential for children receiving cancer treatment, but the skin surrounding the insertion site can be vulnerable to injury, irritation and infection.

This scoping review examined the available evidence on CVAD-related skin injuries in children with cancer, including how often they occur and how they are described in the literature. The review screened 613 articles, with six studies meeting the inclusion criteria.

Key Findings

• Skin complications around CVAD sites were reported across the included studies, but definitions and reporting varied.
• Exit-site infection rates ranged from 0 to 2.35 per 1,000 catheter days.
• Across studies, exit-site infection was reported in up to 16% of patients, while dermatitis was reported in up to 11%.
• The review highlighted that infection is important, but it is not the only skin complication clinicians should look for during routine CVAD assessment.
• Limited awareness and inconsistent recognition of skin injury may contribute to discomfort, complications and potentially device failure.