{"id":53372,"date":"2026-06-09T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/?p=53372"},"modified":"2026-06-05T09:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:48:10","slug":"sustainability-meets-complexity-can-multi-lumen-catheters-and-high-flow-cvc-therapy-be-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/anaesthesia-and-intensive-care\/sustainability-meets-complexity-can-multi-lumen-catheters-and-high-flow-cvc-therapy-be-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability Meets Complexity: Can Multi\u2011Lumen Catheters and High\u2011Flow CVC Therapy Be Green?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Short on time? Read the clinical takeaway:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clinical Takeaway<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Sustainability in critical care catheter selection is not about defaulting to the fewest lumens, but about choosing the right device for the clinical context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • In fast\u2011paced critical care environments, anticipating likely escalation can reduce the need for repeat line insertions and associated risk, waste, and resource use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Using a single, appropriately specified multi\u2011lumen catheter may be more sustainable across the patient journey than inserting additional devices later.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Preparedness for deterioration supports both patient safety and environmental responsibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A context\u2011driven, first\u2011time\u2011right approach aligns sustainability with good clinical practice, rather than positioning it as a competing priority.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Sustainability is achieved not by doing less, but by avoiding unnecessary repetition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sustainability is no longer a peripheral discussion in healthcare. From procurement decisions to clinical workflows, environmental impact is increasingly recognised as a shared responsibility across health systems. Nowhere is this conversation more complex than in critical care, where the clinical imperative to act quickly and decisively often appears to sit in tension with efforts to reduce waste and limit resource use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Central venous catheter (CVC) selection, particularly in relation to multi\u2011lumen devices and high\u2011flow therapy, offers a useful lens through which to explore this challenge. Are more complex devices inherently less sustainable, or does sustainability in critical care demand a more nuanced, context\u2011driven approach?<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Complexity is Not Optional in Critical Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Critical care is defined by uncertainty. Patient status can change rapidly, and clinicians must be prepared to escalate therapy without delay. Vasoactive infusions, renal replacement therapy, parenteral nutrition, and high\u2011volume fluid resuscitation may all become necessary within a short timeframe. In this environment, vascular access is not static; it must anticipate potential deterioration as much as it responds to current need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The traditional sustainability narrative often promotes \u201cthe minimum number of lumens for the expected therapy.\u201d While this approach is intuitively appealing, it risks oversimplifying clinical reality. Selecting a catheter based solely on immediate requirements may lead to further line insertions if therapy escalates, exposing patients to additional procedures and increasing overall resource use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In practice, the question is not always \u201chow few lumens can we get away with?\u201d but rather, \u201cwhy use two devices when one, appropriately selected, will do?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Context\u2011Driven Catheter Selection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Sustainable practice in critical care should be judged across the entire patient journey, not at a single decision point. A context\u2011driven approach to catheter selection considers the clinical setting, the likelihood of escalation, and the consequences of needing additional access later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, placing a single multi\u2011lumen catheter at the outset may avoid the need for a second CVC insertion if requirements increase. From an environmental perspective, this may reduce cumulative plastic use, packaging waste, procedural consumables, and energy associated with repeat procedures. Clinically, it may also limit patient exposure to insertion\u2011related risks such as infection, thrombosis, and mechanical complications\u00b9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sustainability, in this sense, is not about reducing complexity at all costs, but about avoiding unnecessary duplication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    High\u2011Flow Therapy and Preparedness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    High\u2011flow CVC therapy further illustrates the tension between sustainability and clinical preparedness. High\u2011flow access is essential in specific scenarios, such as rapid fluid administration or renal replacement therapy. While not every patient will require these capabilities, critical care clinicians must be ready to act when deterioration occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Inserting a catheter that cannot support escalation may lead to urgent replacement or additional access under less controlled conditions. These scenarios often require more staff, more consumables, and greater time pressure, all of which carry both environmental and patient safety implications\u00b2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From a sustainability perspective, preparedness can therefore be protective. Anticipating likely clinical trajectories may reduce the need for emergency interventions and their associated footprint, even if the initial device appears more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Environmental Cost of Repeat Procedures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The environmental impact of vascular access extends well beyond the catheter itself. Each insertion involves a wide range of single\u2011use items, including drapes, gowns, gloves, syringes, packaging, and antiseptic solutions. There is also the indirect impact of staff time, procedural lighting, monitoring equipment, and waste disposal\u00b3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When catheters are replaced or supplemented due to insufficient lumen availability or flow capacity, these impacts are multiplied. Viewed through this wider lens, a single, well\u2011selected device used throughout a patient\u2019s ICU stay may be more sustainable than multiple \u201csimpler\u201d devices inserted sequentially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This perspective aligns with broader healthcare sustainability principles, which emphasise system\u2011level efficiency rather than isolated reductions in material use\u2074.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Avoiding Simplistic Sustainability Metrics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It is tempting to equate sustainability with fewer lumens, smaller gauges, or reduced device complexity. However, such metrics risk disconnecting environmental goals from clinical workflow and patient outcomes. In critical care, sustainability initiatives that constrain clinical flexibility may paradoxically increase waste by driving rework, repetition, or failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A more meaningful approach is to integrate sustainability into clinical judgement rather than positioning it as a competing priority. This includes recognising when complexity is justified and when it is not, and documenting decision\u2011making processes that reflect both clinical and environmental considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Role of the Clinician<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Clinicians are central to sustainable practice, not through rigid adherence to prescriptive rules, but through thoughtful, context\u2011aware decision\u2011making. Asking whether a chosen catheter is likely to support the full scope of anticipated therapy encourages forward planning and may reduce downstream interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Education and multidisciplinary discussion also play a role. Shared understanding between clinicians, vascular access teams, and procurement specialists can help align device selection with both clinical need and sustainability objectives, without compromising safety or responsiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Sustainability in critical care cannot be achieved by simplistic reductions in device complexity. Multi\u2011lumen catheters and high\u2011flow CVC therapy exist because critical care is unpredictable, fast paced, and unforgiving of delay. In this context, sustainability is less about doing less and more about doing it right first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By focusing on context\u2011driven catheter selection and considering the full patient journey, clinicians can support both environmental responsibility and high\u2011quality care. The most sustainable choice may not always be the simplest device, but the one that avoids unnecessary repetition, reduces procedural burden, and supports timely escalation when patients need it most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


    <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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    References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Moureau N, Flynn J. Disinfection of needleless connector hubs: clinical evidence systematic review.<\/strong> Nurs Res Pract.<\/em> 2015;2015:796762.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. McGee DC, Gould MK. Preventing complications of central venous catheterization.<\/strong> N Engl J Med.<\/em> 2003;348(12):1123\u20131133.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Rizan C, Steinbach I, Nicholson R, et al. The carbon footprint of operating theatres: a systematic review.<\/strong> Ann Surg.<\/em> 2020;272(6):986\u2013995.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Eckelman MJ, Sherman J. Environmental impacts of the U.S. health care system and effects on public health.<\/strong> PLoS One.<\/em> 2016;11(6):e0157014.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
      Short on time? Read the clinical takeaway: Complexity is Not Optional in Critical Care Critical care is defined by uncertainty. Patient status can change rapidly, and clinicians must be prepared to escalate therapy without delay. Vasoactive infusions, renal replacement therapy, parenteral nutrition, and high\u2011volume fluid resuscitation may all become necessary within a short timeframe. In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":53373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[45],"class_list":["post-53372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anaesthesia-and-intensive-care","tag-cvc-2"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53372"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53382,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53372\/revisions\/53382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campusvygon.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}