An umbilical venous catheter (UVC), or umbilical vein catheter, is a very small line inserted into the infant’s umbilical vein. In the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, the UVC functions to help deliver medication and fluids to the neonate.
A UVC is often inserted immediately after birth in sick or premature infants, when the umbilical vein is most easily accessible. This is due to the umbilical cord having been recently cut.
The procedure for inserting a UVC in the Neonatal ICU is a sterile procedure, requiring the infant to be covered in either cloth or beneath plastic wrap, with only the umbilical area exposed. This allows the neonatologist or practitioner to place the UVC in the most sterile environment possible.
The placement of a neonatal UVC can often be a life-saving procedure, and is a crucial aspect in the care of infants in the NICU.
