Version July 2025
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What is a central line? —
This is a thin tube that goes into 1 of the large veins, most often in the neck, chest, or arm (figure 1). Doctors and nurses can use the central line to draw blood or to give medicines and fluids.
If you have a central line, you will probably be staying in the hospital. In some cases, though, people go home with a central line.
What are the symptoms of a central line infection? —
Symptoms include:
●Redness or swelling around the site of the central line
●Bad-smelling pus around the site of the central line
●The skin around the site being warm to the touch
●Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
●Chills
Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have increased pain at the central line site or if it feels warm or starts to smell.
A central line infection can be very serious. It can lead to an infection in the blood, called "sepsis."
What happens if my central line gets infected? —
Your doctors and nurses will give you antibiotics to fight the infection. They might have to remove or replace the central line, but that is not always necessary. If you are given antibiotics, it is very important to finish them all, even if you start to feel better.
How can I prevent getting a central line infection? —
You should:
●Wash your hands often with soap and water (figure 2), or use alcohol-based hand cleaner.
●Do not touch the central line or the skin around the central line with your bare hands.
●Make sure your doctors and nurses wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand cleaner before they touch you. It is OK to remind them if they forget.
The doctors and nurses caring for you will also take steps to prevent infection:
●They will regularly change the bandage around your central line. Tell them if it gets wet or dirty between regular changes.
●They will check your central line every day for signs of infection or other problems.
●They will take out your central line as soon as you no longer need it.
What should I do if I leave the hospital with a central line? —
Ask when and how you can bathe, how to care for the central line, and how to change the bandage around it. To reduce the risk of infection, you should:
●Always wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleaner before caring for the central line.
●Wear new, disposable gloves each time you care for the central line.
●Watch carefully for any signs of infection (listed above). Call your doctor or nurse right away if you have any of these symptoms.
Patient education: Lowering the risk of a central line infection (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a central line catheter (The Basics)
Patient education: Central line catheter insertion (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) (The Basics)
Patient education: Staying safe in the hospital (The Basics)
Patient education: Going home from the hospital (The Basics)
Patient education: Lowering the risk of spreading infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Sepsis in adults (The Basics)
