PICC line (Post #32)

PICC line

She got a PICC line today.  She will need the Colistin (antibiotic) for several weeks.  So they wanted a PICC so that she didn't blow through IV's (and you can't go home with an IV, but you can with a PICC.)

They can place a PICC at the bedside sometimes.  So the PICC nurses had come up several times (over several days).  They found some good ones, but they were mostly on the inside of her arms.  That is their preferred spot for PICC's.  It is the easiest to thread up to the heart through the vein inside the arm.

But I was really concerned that inside the arm would create pressure spots for her.  She keeps her arms tight to her body and especially once she gets back into her wheelchair,  inside the arm would have a lot of pressure.

We son't need more pressure sores.

So I really pushed to have them place it in the cephalic vein which is on the outside of the arm.  It is much harder to do a PICC in the cephalic vein at the bedside.  This meant she needed to go down to IR (Interventional Radiology).  They use ultrasound and a continuous x-ray to see where they are going.  They can see exactly where the wire is going and direct it better.  Whereas, at the bedside they are fishing the PICC blindly through veins.

The Radiologist was unable to place the first PICC he tried (right arm cephalic vein).  But he was able to get  the cephalic vein on the left arm.

It is wrapped with coban right now because it was bleeding alot, so the radiologist wanted extra pressure on it for awhile.

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Jokes

 “Statistically…. 9 out of 10 injections are in vein.”

Ellie: ‘Doctor, doctor, will I be able to play the violin after I get a PICC line?’

Doctor: ‘Yes, of course…’
Ellie: ‘Great! I never could before!’