Forum topic

2 posts / 0 new
Log in or register to post comments
Last post
Mon, 02/26/2007 - 15:53
#1
Alma Kooistra
Infusion followed by Power Injection

OK.......this might be a silly question, but it's one of those 'middle of the night' thoughts I had about the Power Injectable PICCs.

If you have been using a power injectable port on a PICC for infusion and blood draws, does it give you pause to then use that same port for Power injection?  I'm thinking there could be an accumulation of fibrin or drug precipitate within the lumen that could then be rapidly propelled out the end of the catheter and into the patient.

Part of the reason I'm thinking about this is because we're considering purchase of the BARD triple lumen PICCs and I'm wondering just how dedicated that Power Injectable port needs to be.

Alma K.

Top
Mon, 02/26/2007 - 20:36
lynncrni
Flushing after each use will
Flushing after each use will remove whole blood that has refluxed into the lumen. No amount of flushing will remove fibrin or biofilm that is adhering to the catheter walls. Regarding drug precipitate, this will occlude the lumen but I doubt that it will adhere to the catheter walls. So that would be an all or nothing situation. I would hope that the infusion would be stopped (if only a single lumen) and the catheter flushed and assessed for patency, resistance to flush before they attached the power injector. If the catheter is occluded with precipitate and they connect the power injector, I would think there would be catheter rupture first. I would not worry about fibrin, etc though. 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

Top
Log in or register to post comments