What complication may result from improper catheter placement?

Thrombosis is indeed a potential complication that can result from improper catheter placement. When a catheter is not correctly positioned within a blood vessel, it can cause turbulence in blood flow or damage to the vessel wall. This turbulence can lead to the activation of the clotting cascade, resulting in the formation of a thrombus (blood clot) either at the catheter tip or along the vessel wall.

Additionally, improper placement may cause irritation or injury to the endothelial lining of the vessel, further increasing the risk of clot formation. Thrombosis can compromise the efficacy of the vascular access and may lead to complications such as occlusion of the catheter or the vessel itself, requiring additional medical intervention.

While other complications like hemorrhage, infection, and hematoma can also occur from catheter placement, they are typically associated with different mechanisms or conditions that may not directly relate to the misplacement of the catheter itself. For instance, hemorrhage is more often connected to trauma of the vascular structure, while infection pertains to the introduction of pathogens. A hematoma results from bleeding outside of the vessel, often due to puncture rather than improper catheter positioning. Therefore, thrombosis specifically highlights complications associated with the vascular flow dynamics and vessel integrity related directly to catheter placement issues.