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A Hickman line is an Intravenous catheter used for the administration of Chemotherapy or other medications. Hickman lines may remain in place for extended periods and are used when long-term intravenous access is needed. The insertion of a Hickman line is usually done under Sedation or a General Anesthetic by a Radiologist or Surgeon . It involves two incisions, one at the Jugular Vein and one on the chest wall. At the former, a catheter is inserted into the vein and advanced into the Superior Vena Cava . It is then tunneled under the skin to the second incision. The first one is then sutured. Throughout the procedure, Ultrasound and X-ray s are used to ascertain the positioning of the catheter. Potential complications include Hemorrhage and Pneumothorax during insertion and Thrombosis or Infection at later stages. Long-term venous catheters became available in 1968 , and the design was improved by Broviac ''et al'' in 1973. Hickman ''et al'', after whom the system is named, further modified the principles with Subcutaneous tunneling and a Dacron cuff that formed an infection barrier. Dr Robert O. Hickman was a Pediatric Nephrologist at the Seattle Children's Hospital And Regional Medical Center . REFERENCES
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