Background
Indwelling central venous lines (CVL) may develop biofilms and microthrombi, protecting germs from antibiotics1. As a result, patients with tunnelled CVL may develop blood stream infections which at times are difficult to control without line removal, particularly if neutropenic. Concomitant severe thrombocytopenia with platelet transfusion refractoriness is often considered a hard contraindication to any procedure involving a major blood vessel. There is however very little literature on the actual clinical risks of tunnelled central line removal in febrile pancytopenic patients not responding to second line broad spectrum parenteral antibiotic therapy, while the safety of USG-guided central line insertion in thrombocytopenic patients is well established2–4.
We analysed complications and outcomes in all or patients, a total of 52, who underwent CVL removal with platelets <20,000/uL.