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CD-ROM Review

Toronto, Ontario

Central Venous Catheters

(c) 2000 - Oliver C. Wenker, Ann T. Malecha, Irwin M. Freundlich, Susan R. Spence.

Available from Cook Canada (1-800-668-0300 or 1-905-640-7110)

This CD-ROM tutorial, which runs on both Windows and Macintosh platforms, is intended "to offer information, education and training to users of central venous catheters and to improve awareness of the indications, contraindications, warnings and potential complications that may be associated with placement of central venous catheters." The tutorial includes a brief 15 minute quick-start overview as well as a much more comprehensive presentation involving ten "multimedia learning modules" along with three suberb interactive quizzes, all illustrated with a large number of colour graphic images. Video clips illustrating central line insertion by the internal jugular and subclavian routes are also included, narrated in a pleasant female voice with a distinct Texas accent. There is also a bibliography of over 6000 abstracts related to central line insertion, occupying some 3344 pages of text. (Do not attempt to print out!)

I had no trouble installing the tutorial on two different Windows machines. The videos ran smoothly without trouble. I particularly enjoyed the interactive quizzes, which illustrate a number of common and rare catheter malpositions. (The quizzes are interactive in that they provide an instant commentary on any wrong answers entered.) The only problem I found here was that sometimes the x-ray images were too small to allow one to readily identify the pathology present.

One quite unexpected surprise I found while exploring the contents of the CD-ROM were two almost identical files named cvc.pdf and cvcv.pdf in the bibliopc\acrord4 directory. These files are copies of a 119-page textbook on central line insertion authored by Dr. Wenker. Why there is no mention of this valuable resource anywhere in the CD-ROM packaging or in the CD-ROM opening menu is a complete mystery!

In my opinion, despite some slight problems with the x-ray images and an occasional spelling error, the authors achieved their goal admirably. Highly recommended.

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