The frequency, severity, and risk factors of Hickman catheter-related complications in pediatric acute leukemia patients: A single-center experience from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Emir Milisic1
, Kenan Karavdic1, Zlatan Zvizdic1, Asmir Jonuzi1, Nusret Popovic1, Lejla Milisic2
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Medical Faculty, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Keywords: Catheter-related infections and thrombosis, Hickman catheter related complications, pediatric acute leukemia patients.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, severity, and risk factors associated with Hickman catheterrelated complications in pediatric patients with acute leukemia at a tertiary pediatric care center in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Patients and methods: This retrospective study was conducted with 88 pediatric patients (54 males, 34 females; mean age: 5.9±4.6 years; range, 0 to 18 years) diagnosed with acute leukemia who had Hickman catheters inserted between January 2019 and July 2024. Data on complication rates, types, and outcomes were collected.
Results: A total of 91 Hickman central venous catheters were inserted in 88 children. The cohort included 60 (68%) children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 28 (32%) children with acute myeloid leukemia 14 (AML). The median follow-up was 190 days (95% confidence interval, 160-212), spanning 12,644 catheter days. Complications occurred in 24 (27.3%) patients. Twelve (13.1%) of these were mechanical, seven (7.7%) were infectious, and five (5.5%) were thrombotic; the incidence rates were 0.8, 0.48, and 0.08 per 1,000 catheter days, respectively. Notably, AML patients had a higher complication rate (1.59 per 1,000 catheter days) compared to ALL patients (1.22 per 1,000 catheter days).
Conclusion: Hickman catheter-related complications in pediatric leukemia patients are relatively common, with AML patients facing a higher risk. Understanding these complications can help improve patient management and outcomes.
Citation: Milisic E, Karavdic K, Zvizdic Z, Jonuzi A, Popovic N, Milisic L. The frequency, severity, and risk factors of Hickman catheter-related complications in pediatric acute leukemia patients: A single-center experience from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Turkish J Ped Surg 2025;39(1):7-11. doi: 10.62114/JTAPS.2025.85.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
All authors contributed equally to this article.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.