Re: Life with this PTC Tube

[Guest guest]

> ...

> I have this PTC tube in ... The problem i have is taking a

> shower, because i hate getting the dressing wet. I don't change the

> dressing i just try to keep it dry.

, you might check with the radiologist / nurses when you have

your next tube change about care options for your PTC tube. I had a

PTC tube from November 2003 until this summer and only used dressings

right after the tube changes. Because I had no discharge from the

insertion site there was no need to keep a dressing over it all the

time. Without the dressing there was nothing to protect during

showers. I did have some transparent bandages to seal things up if I

went swimming. (You may have seen them used to secure IVs. I used 3M

brand Tegaderm.) After a change there would occasionally be a little

seepage for a while so I always had a dressing applied then. My

flushing instructions were different also. I flushed with 5 ml of

saline solution once a day. Holding the tube secure so it wouldn't

slide in or out was done using Flexi-Trak anchors. They would hold

well for 2 or 3 weeks - beyond that it got iffy.

Tim R, tx #3 7/7/07

[Guest guest]

Dear Tim Thanks for the advice about the PTC Tube, i will take your advice. Right now entry for the line into the skin is not irritated. Sometimes it gets irritated to the point of having an abcess, which radiology fixes. I've learned to cope with it, i just take a shower in angles and hope for the best. It will take me time to get use too. I use "Stay fix" dressing, that's what the radiologist uses to keep the line secure to my body. I've never heard flexi trak anchors. Also they stitch it into my side too so it works. Just the irritation on the skin with the line can be a problem. I change my PTC tube Jan 4 again so back to the routine. BrownTim Romlein wrote: > ... > I have this PTC tube in ... The problem i have is taking a > shower, because i hate getting the dressing wet. I don't change the > dressing i just try to keep it dry., you might check with the radiologist / nurses when you haveyour next tube change about care options for your PTC tube. I had aPTC tube from November 2003 until this summer and only used dressingsright after the tube changes. Because I had no discharge from theinsertion site there was no need to keep a dressing over it all thetime. Without the dressing there was nothing to protect

duringshowers. I did have some transparent bandages to seal things up if Iwent swimming. (You may have seen them used to secure IVs. I used 3Mbrand Tegaderm.) After a change there would occasionally be a littleseepage for a while so I always had a dressing applied then. Myflushing instructions were different also. I flushed with 5 ml ofsaline solution once a day. Holding the tube secure so it wouldn'tslide in or out was done using Flexi-Trak anchors. They would holdwell for 2 or 3 weeks - beyond that it got iffy.Tim R, tx #3 7/7/07

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[Guest guest]

> I've never heard flexi trak anchors. Also they stitch it into my

side too so it works.

You can see Flexi-Trak anchors at:

https://www.hendrickhealth.org/xcart/product.php?productid=62 ($2.50 ea)

http://www.rxcaremedical.com/UROL_COLLECTION_DEVICES/UROLOGICAL_MISC/SQB037449/p\

roduct.aspx

($9.26 ea) or

http://www.themedicalsupplydepot.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD & ProdID=1785 & g\

clid=CM2ekdHwipACFQVlZQodQGkRsg

($74.99 for 50) - all the same product.

These adhesive anchors held the tube firmly enough so that stitches

were not required. (I did have stitches the first time and they were

definitely not as comfortable as the anchors for holding the tube.)

Tim R