Central venous catheters (CVCs) are routinely required in the intensive care unit (ICU) for infusion of drugs, often concurrently with central venous dialysis catheters (CVDCs) for renal replacement therapy (RRT).

Increased clearance of drugs, due to direct aspiration via the CVDC, has been reported when both catheters were inserted into the same internal jugular vein. This prompted a call to place catheters always in different veins.

We hypothesised that in patients requiring a CVC for infusion of drugs and a CVDC for RRT, their insertion in opposite internal jugular veins may not necessarily increase the distance between the line tips, and therefore may not prevent the direct aspiration of drugs.

We conducted a review of chest X-rays performed between 30 May 2018 and 30 July 2018 of 23 patients with a CVC and CVDC within the same or opposite internal jugular vein.

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