Central line catheter with dressing

This drawing shows a central line catheter, which is a thin, flexible tube. One end of the catheter is tunneled under the skin in the chest and goes into a large vein, usually in the neck or chest. The other end of the catheter is on the outside of the skin and can have 1 or more lumens. This central line is covered with a clear dressing. There is often a small "cuff" located just under the skin.