??? Catheter in arm for hemo?

[Sax-O-Trix]

The father of a friend of my daughter's was telling me last night that his 73 year old mother has a catheter in her arm for hemo in-center.    I asked him to explain it to me because I thought perhaps she had a fistula and he didn't know what he was talking about.  He says she does not get canulated, they just unplug the ends of the catheter and plug her into the machine.  She has some sort of plastic tube surgically placed in her vein/arteries in her arm.   She has been doing dialysis like this for 4-5 years! 

Is this normal or have I missed something that seems t be a good solution to needle-phobes?

[billybags]

In the UK they normally  connected a plastic tube surgically  in  vein/arteries  in the chest, just under the shoulder. They are mostly put in when you need emergency dialysis or if you are waiting for a fistula to mature. They do not like keeping them in place for a long time.Say a few months.

[paul.karen]

It could be her veins are not good enough to support a fistula.  And a neckport is not long term like mentioned.  THis would be a good solution for Needlephobia.

[needlephobic]

I have heard of ports in the arm. cath in the arm I would love  bring it on

[noahvale]

^^^

[Sax-O-Trix]

She lives in rural Northern NY...  The dialock system seems to be a European device.  I will have to see if I can get more info about the person in question.  You would think that a canulation-free access would be most beneficial to all involved and would be more prevelant here in the States than it appears to be.  This particular lady has been using this port for at least 4 years, perhaps 5.  I will let you know what I find out:)

[noahvale]

^^^

[tyefly]

We have something called a Pick...    this can be put in your arm like a IV   and  it has a long tube that they run up your vein and you just plug in the syring or what ever you need to put in....   My friend had heart surgery and had a pick line put in so he could be home and give him self medications....  I want one....    I hate the needle thing.....

[calypso]

Are you sure that's not a graft?

[RenalSurvivorDotCA]

We have something called a Pick...    this can be put in your arm like a IV   and  it has a long tube that they run up your vein and you just plug in the syring or what ever you need to put in....   My friend had heart surgery and had a pick line put in so he could be home and give him self medications....  I want one....    I hate the needle thing.....

Yes, sounds like a PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) but I didn't think PICC lines were big enough for hemodialysis, though.  Usually used for IV long-term antibiotic treatment or other.

[Sax-O-Trix]

I spoke with the DIL of the lady in question today at work, she is going to e-mail the daughter of the lady in question to see what she can find out for me.  The son insists that his mother's skin is not broken for dialysis "she wouldn't deal well with that" he told me.  I'll keep you posted.

[jbeany]

Well, yes, if you have no veins at all, they will ram a cath where ever they can.  One of the patients at my old center was about to have one put in her lower back because she had no other options left.  Still, any kind of an artificial entry to the vascular system is a much bigger risk of infection - that's why they want everyone to have a fistula or a graft.

My PICC line was run from my right upper arm and ended somewhere close to my heart.  I used it for IV nutrition for 3 months.  I don't think they are sufficient for hemo, though - much too skinny.  Plus, they clot really easily.

[needlephobic]

Well, yes, if you have no veins at all, they will ram a cath where ever they can.  One of the patients at my old center was about to have one put in her lower back because she had no other options left.  Still, any kind of an artificial entry to the vascular system is a much bigger risk of infection - that's why they want everyone to have a fistula or a graft.

My PICC line was run from my right upper arm and ended somewhere close to my heart.  I used it for IV nutrition for 3 months.  I don't think they are sufficient for hemo, though - much too skinny.  Plus, they clot really easily.

question? Isn't a needle a artificial entry to the vascular system? If so can't it give you a infection? I am just saying how do we know the needles are clean? can you clean the inside of a needle ? would challenge any one to test a D needle or any needle they use to inject you with and see I could be wrong but I am just so scared of them things. 

[calypso]

Well, yes, if you have no veins at all, they will ram a cath where ever they can.  One of the patients at my old center was about to have one put in her lower back because she had no other options left.  Still, any kind of an artificial entry to the vascular system is a much bigger risk of infection - that's why they want everyone to have a fistula or a graft.

My PICC line was run from my right upper arm and ended somewhere close to my heart.  I used it for IV nutrition for 3 months.  I don't think they are sufficient for hemo, though - much too skinny.  Plus, they clot really easily.

question? Isn't a needle a artificial entry to the vascular system? If so can't it give you a infection? I am just saying how do we know the needles are clean? can you clean the inside of a needle ? would challenge any one to test a D needle or any needle they use to inject you with and see I could be wrong but I am just so scared of them things.

Needles are indeed sterile. So is your catheter when it is first put in. The problem is keeping it sterile. You are right a needle is an artificial entry into the vascular system. You can no more keep a needle sterile for a long time than you can a catheter.

But you change the needles every treatment. So you get a new sterile needle every time. Since the catheter stays in place, it is more susceptible to infection because it is hard to keep it sterile.