I accidentlally cut my catheter

[paryapta]

About half an hour back I was dressing my exit site. I accidentally cut a small hole in my catheter when cutting the excess plaster tape off. All the fluid in my peritoneum started flowing out of the hole in a never ending stream. I panicked and started bawling at the top of my voice for my husband to come and help me. I then wrapped a big towel around the hole. My brain was not functioning at all. My husband came in and I quickly told him what happened. He got the clamp and clamped the tube stopping the flow. We then called our doctor who told us to talk to a PD technician. The technician asked us how far from the exit site was the hole. It's about 3 inches from the exit site. He asked us to put a sterile gauze soaked in Betadine over the hole and he is on his way to my house now. I was panicking thinking that they'll schedule a catheter replacement surgery but now I think they may repair the existing one. I am waiting for the technician to arrive. Keeping fingers crossed.

I am posting this to warn everybody. Please don't use scissors or sharp objects near your catheter. I was stupid and I am regretting it now. I hope they fix the catheter without too many problems. Will keep you posted on what happens.

[Rerun]

Oh, I'm so sorry.  It is great the PD guy is coming.  You will be fine.  Hang in there.

   

[bleija]

i honestly dnt know if they can fix a hole like that, but let me knopw how it goes

[amanda100wilson]

A cautionary tale; no scissors near a pd catheter.    

Mine was only about three inches long by the end of the time I finished doing P D so it may be ok.  Mine got stretched and the transfer set started slipping off when I was in MacDonalds and Ifelt wetness on my clothes. Went to the bathroom thinking the cap had come off and as I examined it, the whole transfer set fell off.  This was actually a good thing because I used it to tie around the catheter and stop the flow.  It was embarassing but not as much if the tho g had fallen off completely in he middle ofthe restaurant.   

[bleija]

im a server at a reastraunt, and i had mine come apart like tht, where the titanium peice. i felt warm water but thought it was tea or something from the server counter. i finally was away from the counter and felt the warmth go down my stomach ran to the nathroom and looked and freaked out. i went back to the office and called moy nurse. she had me come in and gave me some antibiotics just to be cautious. and luckily nothing came from it, but i did tighten that almost constantly.

[Joe]

My team told me if I did something like that, they would cut the cath line aat the break and put a new transfer set on there. It sounds like you have enough tubing for the, to move the plug in and just attach a new transfer set.

[Willis]

Kudos to my PD clinic which provided me with an emergency kit of supplies and instructions for what to do in such a situation. They also go over the procedures each quarter and make me sign off that I understand and also that my supplies are all in-stock and not expired. (I'm sure their lawyers like having my signature confirming all that too!)

Now if I'm home when the transfer set comes off I'm good to go! But I don't carry all that crap (betadyne pads, etc) everywhere I go or at work. I do carry a mini-clamp with me at all times and have a clamp in a drawer at work (oh damn which drawer was that?... as I'm pouring fluid down my leg and onto the carpet). I can imagine the panic!

BTW, everyone with a PD cath, please consider using a Stickman Belt...no tape, no scissors, no stress on the cath connections: Stickman Belt. They're not cheap but I bought 8 of them and after a year-and-a-half on PD my belts are all in perfect condition. Hand wash them and they will last for a very long time.

 

 

[Joe]

I'll second the stickman belts, they are fabulous and you don't have to mess with tape and stuff. (And I machine wash mine Willis, hasn't hurt them at all.)

[JLM]

Being a female, I run the catheter under my bra at my side the flip the end in my "cup".  Nothing shows and it's out of the way.  I have belts, but they are so hot and sweaty. 

[Grumpy-1]

I've had the connection to the cycler come loose while connected during the night.  Both times, felt like I had peed the bed.  Wife wasn't very happy about having to change out sheets, comforter, and mattress pad in the middle of the night.   Can imagine what the panic is like when at work.   As someone else said, the tech will most likely cut your tube off just below the hole and put a new connection to the extention set there.  No surgery, no fuss, no foul.   Others have said they have a belt.  I use that and just put tape over the exit site to keep it clean as possible.    Grumpy

[JLM]

MAN, I just had the that happen last Thursday morning!  I called the nurse and she had me put an extra clamp on the extension and head to the clinic.  It was my Lab day so I didn't have an extra trip.  The extension was changed and, of course, I got a fill for antibiotics All is well.

[paryapta]

Hello all... yes you were all correct! The PD guy used a surgical blade to cut the catheter at the point where the hole was and attached the titanium adapter to it. I have lost about 3 inches of my catheter now. I met the urologist today and he checked on it and told me it's fine. He has also prescribed antibiotics for a couple of days.

As for the Stickman thingy, Baxter gave me two cloth pouches with velcro to keep my catheter in. I have never found them to be comfortable so I just tape my catheter to my tummy and let it be. It's mildly amusing how almost all of you have had some similar experience and you all make it sound like it's nothing. I was hysterical last night and now I just feel stupid about the whole thing. 

[amanda100wilson]

hated PD belts with a vengeance.  uncomfortable and unsightly and another thing that screamed that I was on PD.

[JLM]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm my belt was under my shirt at the bra line.  Nobody saw it!!!

[amanda100wilson]

I saw it though and hated the sight of it. 

[Joe]

My belt sits just below my belt line. I know it's there, but only because I know It's there. Most of the time I don't even feel it.

[drgirlfriend]

I can imagine the panic - especially with fluid running out! I'm glad it wasn't a big deal in the end. I'm also glad that you told this story so I can figure out where an extra clamp is.

When the boyfriend started pd, I was glad there were so many different belts. If you're at all interested in wearing one, I bet you can find one that works to your liking. I kinda wish the bf wouldn't wear one to bed. The velcro is scratchy on the belt he likes. :-(

[amanda100wilson]

this is not a personal injury case. 

[jbeany]

this is not a personal injury case. 

Spammer deleted!  Thanks for all the notifications everyone.

[paryapta]

Hey guys

The PD guy took about two hours to arrive from another part of the city. He used a surgical blade to splice the catheter at the point where it was cut and he again cut the adapter off the spliced part and re-attached it to my catheter. It was a scary time for me but now I know better than to bring sharp objects near my catheter.

I clean and dress my exit site and put tape but I just let my catheter hang lose. Is that ok? My PD technician gave me a couple of cloth pouches with velcro and I had to tie them around my waist. They kept coming loose or the catheter kept coming out of the pouches so I stopped wearing them.

[jeannea]

Letting it hang loose is fine if you're comfortable. Most of the time I tucked mine into the side of my underwear so the end hung out over the top. Or you can tape it to your abdomen with paper tape. My nurse said most people just let it hang loose.

[Whamo]

I did the same thing about a month ago.  I clamped it.  Got to the PD nurse, and she took a sample, cut and patched the tube, and gave me anti-biotics.  I did not get an infection, thank God.