Umbilical venous catheter

An umbilical venous catheter is a thin, flexible tube. The tube is put in a blood vessel in a newborn baby's belly button (umbilicus). The tube can be used to get blood for testing. And it can be used to give medicine, nutrition, and fluids.

The belly button is where the umbilical cord was attached to the baby before birth. In the womb, nutrients from the mother came through several large blood vessels in the cord. These blood vessels can stay open for a couple of weeks after the baby is born.

With a catheter, your baby won't need to be stuck with a needle each time medicine, fluids, or a blood test is needed. It can be used as long as your baby needs extra care.

The doctor finds the blood vessels at the end of your newborn's belly button. Then he or she cleans the area and slides the tube into one of the blood vessels. An X-ray is done to make sure that the end of the tube is at the right place inside your baby's body. The other end is taped to the baby's stomach.