MINICAP FELL OFF SOMETIME TODAY!!!

[vrlopez254]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but I need some answers.
Was out riding my motorcycle enjoying the beautiful weather today, when i got home this evening and was getting my supplies ready to connect to the cycler I noticed that the minicab had unscrewed and fallen off.
I immediately replaced it and after 15 or so minutes I replaced it again. Waiting now to connect.
Has this happen to anyone else and what did you do. Thanks in advance

[MaryD]

Yes!  This happened to me.

I woke up one morning and didn't notice the minicap was missing till I went back for a snooze while my new bag was warming.  I figured I had been rolling around in bed for up to ten hours with my catheter collecting all sorts of dust and bugs.

We had been told that in the event of the naked end of the catheter touching anything other than a minicap or the drain tubing, it was classed as an open contamination.  The end of my catheter was replaced and I was given antibiotics via bags for several days.  After that treatment a drain bag was tested for any bacteria.

Please be careful.  Get it checked

[amanda100wilson]

happened to. me several times.  don't dialyse until transfer set (the bit that connects to the connector and the cap and is changed every few months) has been changed. 

[bleija]

when this happened to me i freaked, but my nurse asked if everything was closed? it was, he told me to soak the end in the alcavis solution for 2 mins and keep extreme close eye for any symptoms of peritonitis

[Darthvadar]

Hi Vlr...

ANY possibility of contamination has to be taken seriously...

Please call your unit for advice... They may prescribe antibiotics 'just in case'... Please don't treat this lightly... Peretonitis is a dreadful thing to be dealing with... NOT worth the risk!...

My mum has had three bouts of this (not caused by her... It came from her gut).... Wasn't expected to survive the last one, but is tougher than we thought!....

Oh and a friend of mine who's a biker, puts a tiny piece of Hypafix tape (cut to less than an eighth of an inch wide), on to secure the cap before going for a ride... What happened to you happened to him (vibrations from the ride), and it resulted in a few days in hospital... He doesn't want a repeat performance!...

Best of luck... I'm sure you'll be fine, but don't take the chance... Give your unit a call...

God bless...

Darth...

[cassandra]

Please go to the clinic vrlopez,

best of luck Cas

[mcclane]

I agree with what has already been said, call your clinic asap.  hope all goes well. 

[Willis]

At my clinic I'm "quizzed" at least monthly on the procedures to take when things happen like the minicap coming off, accidental touching of the open end of the transfer set, cracks or leaks in the catheter/transfer set tubing, etc. I even have to sign the training sheet acknowledging that I've received these instructions.

The procedure I'm drilled on is to clamp the cath tubing "upstream" of the contamination site, then use betadyne and/or fresh minicaps to disinfect the contamination site, then CALL THE CLINIC 24-HOUR EMERGENCY NUMBER. I'm told that time is the biggest enemy and that if for any reason contamination is suspected (or the dialysate is not clear) I must get treatment as soon as possible. My PD nurse always says to not be shy if I'm not sure and never "wait to see what happens." She assures me that they will take it seriously even if it's late at night or on a weekend.

 

[Joe]

I agree with what everyone else is telling you, get it checked! Call your unit and let them know what happened. Better to be safe than in the hospital.