What is a PICC line?

[Guest guest]

I saw where some of you required this PICC line due to insufficient

vains...I also am a hard one to stick...this usually results in at

least 5 sticks (record is 10) and lots of pain!!! I try to tell the

nurses where the best place to get me is (back side of my right arm)

but they never seem to listen unitl they attempt and fail a couple

of times. I guess they think that I'm trying to tell them how to do

their job, but I just know my body a little better than anyone

else...go figure. I'm interested in hearing more about this PICC

line if it's a possibility of making IV time a little easier.

Please share, share, share?! I also saw where some had to have a

catheter (sp?) after their sphincteroplasty...is this normal

procedure? Trying to prepare myself...:0)--Kim S.

[Guest guest]

A PICC line is an IV that is put in when someone has really bad veins or

they are going to need IV access for an extended length of time. If you have

really bad lines a PICC line is usually put in at interventional radiology

with this big machine that takes a continuous x-rays (Sorry I don't know

medical terms). I know that most hospitals consider them expensive and it

is very hard to get them to put a PICC line unless you fight for it. Also

when you have a PICC line they can draw blood from it. The problem is a

PICC line needs daily monitoring to make sure that it is not getting

infected and there can still be blood taken from it. Usually what doctors

will do before a PICC line is a central line, which unfortunately is more

painful to have put it then a PICC line (and because I scar easily the

central lines have left me with many scars).

-a

P.S. that was just a patient definition of a PICC line I am sure one of the

peole that are in the medical profession will give you a better definition.