Health care providers review the risks with families before placing the PICC line. Check the PICC line area every day and call the health care provider right away if:. At home, a child's PICC line needs special care to prevent infection and keep it working well. It's normal to feel a little bit nervous caring for the PICC line at first, but soon you'll feel more comfortable. You'll get supplies to use at home, and a visiting nurse may come to help you when you first get home.
Tell your child's teachers, school nurse, counselor, and physical education teacher about the PICC line. They can make sure your child avoids any activities that may damage the line, and help support your child during treatment. Note: All information is for educational purposes only.
For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. Search KidsHealth library. Health care providers use a PICC line instead of a regular IV line because: It can stay in place longer up to 3 months and sometimes a bit more. It lowers the number of needle sticks a child needs for blood draws. Lung damage — if the central line is inserted in the neck or upper chest, the lung may be damaged and may collapse. We use ultrasound to see the vein and minimise this risk but if this happens your child may need a tube in the chest in between the ribs to re-inflate the lung.
This is very rare. Blood clot — the central line may cause a blood clot in the vein. If this happens, the line will be removed and your child may need blood thinning medication to break down the clot.
Changes to the heart rhythm — The tip of the central line can stimulate the pacemaker cells in the heart to change the rhythm of the heart. This can be a sign that the line is in too far and usually responds to withdrawal by a short distance.
An arterial line is a small, plastic tube that we put into an artery in the wrist, arm or groin. The lines are normally kept open with a continuous trickle of fluid. Accidental removal — occasionally, the line can be dislodged or accidentally removed. It may need to be re-sited if it is deemed to still be needed. Infection — arterial lines are inserted after careful cleaning of the skin and are covered with a sterile dressing.
The nurses looking after your child will regularly examine the arterial line for any sign of infection and remove it if needed. Bleeding — there may be bruising or bleeding around the insertion site. Blood clot — a blood clot may form in the artery around the arterial line. This is a rare but serious complication as the part of the body supplied by that artery, such as the hand or leg, may not receive enough blood. The line will be removed and your child may need blood thinning medication or an operation to try to remove the clot.
Limb growth — A very rare complication, later in life, can be slow growth of the limb, in which the line was sited. Side effects include easy bruising, mouth lesions, and infections. If chemotherapeutic agents are part of your care plan, here's what to know about what might be involved. Read on to learn about the different classes of alkylating agents and drug types, as well as risks and efficacy rates to consider.
Hand-foot syndrome is a painful side effect you may have after chemotherapy treatment. Learn why it happens and what you can do to feel better. We look at the how, when, and why of chemotherapy, what to know about chemo drugs, and how to find treatment centers. What cytotoxic agents are used in treating cancer? And which cancers are they effective against? Chemotherapy is a part of most pancreatic cancer treatments.
Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Cameron White, M. PICC line Port Comparison About central venous catheters One decision you may need to make before beginning chemotherapy is what type of central venous catheter CVC you want your oncologist to insert for your treatment.
PICC vs. Read this next.
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