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tamster
PICC vs. Hickman

61yr old male, terminal adenoCA with weeks to months left, PICC line placed in May, will be going home with hospice- getting cyclic TPN at noc, went to OR yesterday for Hickman and then perfectly good PICC line removed. When I asked why this was done the response I received was" less infection with hickmans than piccs".   I was speechless!

Interventional ...
PICC vs Hickman

Must have good insurance. Another swipe of the of the insurance card. They wonder why healthcare is so expensive.

lynncrni
The person who provided this

The person who provided this answer is not knowledgeable of the most recent literature on the issue. For long term use, the rates for a tunneled cuffed catheter and a PICC are about the same. The risks come from hub manipulation in catheters used beyond a week. I agree that there does not appear to be a good reason for this change unless they were hoping to eliminate the dressing after the cuff has healed in a few weeks. Also, what activities is the patient doing - wheelchair, crutches, etc? Those can increase complications with a PICC. Lynn

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

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