Percutaneous translumbar inferior vena cava venous access in an intensive care patient

We report the case of a critically ill 30-year old chronic haemodialysis patient with a history of intravenous substance abuse whose intravenous access sites had become exhausted. She subsequently underwent elective insertion of a percutaneous translumbar inferior vena caval paired Tesio catheter and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line). This technique has been used successfully in patients who require longstanding central venous access (hyperalimentation, chemotherapy, chronic renal hemodialysis patients). This approach could be an alternative where the standard access routes have become non-viable.