The Use of the Internal Mammary Vein for Central Venous Access

Retrospective study of 11 patients (8 pediatric, 3 adult) demonstrates the internal mammary vein as a viable alternative for central venous catheter placement when traditional access sites are exhausted. Technical success was achieved in 9/11 patients with mean catheter dwell time of 141 days, primarily for parenteral nutrition in intestinal failure patients.