The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the significance and complications of percutaneous central venous catheterization in pediatric patients affected by hematologic malignancies. One hundred and fifty-eight central venous catheters were inserted in 125 pediatric patients (male/female 67/58; median age: 4 years; range 10 m - 6 y.) affected by hematological malignancies. Venous access was obtained by means of a tunnelled silicone rubber Groshong catheter inserted percutaneously in the subclavian vein (91.1%), the internal jugular vein or in the femoral vein. The medial duration of catheterization was 231.8 days (range 8-1014 days). The total number of catheter days was 33,792 (92.6 years). There were no complications related to catheter insertion. Only one patient developed significant post-operative bleeding. One hundred and nine catheters (68.9%) were removed when they were no longer needed and 49 (31.1%) were removed due to complications: 6 catheter occlusions (12.2%), 7 were accidentally withdrawn (14.3%), 3 for local infections (6.1%) and 33 for catheter-related infection (67.3%). A Groshong catheter seems to provide good access to the blood stream for a long period of time with a low incidence of complications in children with acute hematological malignancie
