I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Bungarian on January 17, 2014, 01:25:40 PM

Title: Part of my cath left in??
Post by: Bungarian on January 17, 2014, 01:25:40 PM
I had it out last Wednesday. The doc just numbed and pulled. It was stuck so it took a lot of force. Now I can feel like what seems to be a tube in the same place in my neck?? I don't have one on the other side but perhaps it is normal? Anyone have this problem? How could he not know if he left something?
Title: Re: Part of my cath left in??
Post by: obsidianom on January 17, 2014, 01:41:06 PM
The tip of the catheter has a unique appearance so that he should have seen it and known he had the full length. I doubt any would break off anyway. I guess anything is possible but it would be very un likely. It is possible what you are feeling is the clotting inside the vein it was in. When a vein clots off it feels like a rope or cord and can be quite hard. Dont forget when he pulled it he then put pressure on the vein to clot it . It then could have clottted further up after that do to the damage from the catheter being in there for months. Catheters often damage the veins and leave them unusable after they are pulled.
If there is redness or pain you should contact your doctor.
Title: Re: Part of my cath left in??
Post by: Weggy on January 17, 2014, 01:49:18 PM
Just my opinion/observation.

I believe the vein in your neck hardens or something happens to it when you have a catheter. I've had my hickman gone for a bit over 1.5 years and I can feel my vein really pronounced on my neck. It is definitely not as stiff/noticeable as when I had the catheter installed, but I can tell the difference.
Title: Re: Part of my cath left in??
Post by: Bungarian on January 18, 2014, 06:24:08 PM
I had the RN feel it today and she said it would go away over time and not to worry about it unless it got infected.
Title: Re: Part of my cath left in??
Post by: Rerun on January 20, 2014, 11:30:59 AM
I had the RN feel it today and she said it would go away over time and not to worry about it unless it got infected.

That's comforting....