Patient was burned on both upper arms and chest 17 years ago. Skin is healed and intact. I placed a 4fr SL PICC into right basilic with no problem. Skin was tougher to penetrate with needle but that was expected. PICC line has been in 48 hrs. PICC Area has slow drainage at site? Any body have any experience with PICC lines into this type of patient?
What does the drainage look like - color, consistency? Is it serous fluid from the vein or infusing fluid leaking due to a damaged catheter? 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
It was bloody drainage. But I am happy to report that after 48hr the drainage has stopped. It apparantly took the scarred tisue a little longer to complerely clot off at the insertion site.