Umbilical Catheter

An umbilical catheter is a flexible tube that is inserted into a blood vessel in a newborn's umbilical cord. This tube provides a painless way of drawing arterial blood for testing and for giving medication, nutrition, and fluids through a vein.

Credits

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: April 14, 2011
Medical Review: Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
John Pope, MD - Pediatrics

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