Are there any medical people here?

[DealDough]

I'm looking for some info on IV Therapy. If you have some knowledge on this subject and wouldn't mind answering some questions, please PM me or email me at (MyUsername)@mail.com

 

[bacillus]

is it regarding parental nutrition or just IV drugs?

 

[DealDough]

It is in regards to self-administered antibiotics. Specifically, the different types of catheters (mid line, central line) and the placement of them.

 

[tcsenter]

<< It is in regards to self-administered antibiotics. Specifically, the different types of catheters (mid line, central line) and the placement of them. >>

Um, all you need is IV tubing, an IV catheter (Jelco, Optiva, etc.) and a vein for antibiotics. Central line IV catheters are a totally different beast, and something you could kill yourself attempting to do unless you're qualified.

Are you talking about a PICC line?

 

[DealDough]

<< something you could kill yourself attempting to do unless you're qualified. >>


I assume it was the 'self administered antibiotics' that made you think this might be a total 'do-it-yourself' project.
Self administered refers to teaching the patient to inject the saline solution, antibiotics and anti-coagulant themselves rather than requiring hospitalization or doing it on an outpatient basis.
My question is:
Would a central line catheter be ran from the upper thigh to the SVC, or are all central lines inserted from the upper arm, chest area or jugular?

 

[DealDough]

I won't know until Monday just what type of central line catheter it will be. It looks like the different types are:
tunneled and nontunneled lines, implanted ports and
peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs)

I'm assuming that it will be a PICC.

 

[tcsenter]

<< I assume it was the 'self administered antibiotics' that made you think this might be a total 'do-it-yourself' project. >>

I had a mental image of someone trying to insert this themselves. hehe

<< Would a central line catheter be ran from the upper thigh to the SVC, or are all central lines inserted from the upper arm, chest area or jugular? >>

There are three main central venous access sites; subclavian, internal jugular, and femoral. They all use a catheter of required length to reach the SVC. Wow, I've seen a hundred of them, but I left the medical field three years ago and its all becoming a blur now. I guess if you don't use it, you lose it.

A PICC line is the same thing, except it is typically a smaller diameter tube and is inserted into a large vein in the arm (cubital, cephalic, etc.). The delivery port is usually just like an IV piggy-back port, not an implant.

 

[DealDough]

Thanks for the info.
(And sorry for not making it clearer about the self administered part lol)

So it is done by the subclavian, internal jugular, femoral or arm? I haven't found anything anywhere that mentions upper thigh but I did see where it could be 24-28 inches long. I just can't imagine reaching the SVC from there though.

 

[tcsenter]

<< subclavian, internal jugular, femoral or arm >>

Upper thigh would be a femoral line. This is used only when the sites of choice (subclavian and jugular) fail, or when a large bore vein is needed for high volume infusion during cardiac arrest, trauma, etc.

 

[DealDough]

Thanks again for the info.
I didn't realize that the upper thigh would be a femoral line, that was what was confuzzling me.
I appreciate you taking the time to enlighten me. I didn't have the patience (patience - patients. no pun intended lol) to wait until Monday to find out.