Anyone experiencing kinking with the new Teleflex DLX PICC? We are experiencing kinking with both internal (proximal to the insertion site) as well as external kinking. Looking to see if any other facilities are seeing this? If so, what did you do to resolve the issue? Vendors or paid consultants kindly do not respond to this post.
I don't have any specific information about this brand, but will add several questions to help you figure it out. When in the dwell time are these kinks seen - early after insertion or later after use for several days or weeks? What is the angle of the introducer needle during insertion - 2 angles to be concerned about, one where catheter exits the skin and the other where the catheter enters the vein? Do these patients have anything in common such as extreme obesity? Some times the shifting of tissue after insertion in these patients can lead to kinking. How are these catheters secured? Have all been secured the same way?
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861