How To Fix A Clogged Picc Line

Use a saline filled 3 cc syringe to flush the line.

How to fix a clogged picc line. Empty the bag when it is 2 3 full to promote better urine flow. Try flushing the catheter with 10ml 0 9 saline. If you re using a bottle that s already open use. Avoid alcohol which can be dehydrating as well as acidic juices and caffeine.

Blood itself will help clear some of the solution but you have to do a good job of pushing the blood back out of the line. If the fluids still refuse to free flow then instil urokinase into the catheter and leave for 60 minutes. No need for a heparin flush. How to prevent catheter obstructions stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

No need for diluted thrombolytic. If the thing is clogged with say lr or d5 solutions try pulling back the syringe and get blood in the line then push it back in repeat twice then use a good saline flush. I needed to use tpa on a picc line recently and this is not only our hospital policy but it seems to be the common way to instill tpa into a picc line. Make sure to perform this using whatever policy is in place at your hospital.

Leave 5 10 ml 0 17 0 34 fl oz of urine in the bag to prevent a vacuum. Wash your hands before and. We have always used the 3 way stopcock method to declot picc lines â recently we had an inservice by the cathflo rep in which we were instructed in the single syringe method â in reading the product information the procedure says to instill the appripriate dose of cathflo into the occluded catheter using a 10 12 cc syringe â i am concerned about the word instill if the line is clotted you can t aspirate or flush are you not running the risk of forcing the cathflo into the line. Remove air from.

Troubleshooting long lines and picc s problem possible cause what to do resistance to catheter flushing medication will not run or runs slowly clamped catheter or tubing bag is spiked incorrectly tubing is kinked infiltration dislodged catheter check to see that the iv catheter clamp is open. Open a new bottle of the flushing solution. Generally it takes very little force on the plunger. One common way to declot a picc line is by using alteplase rtpa to break up the clot.

Wash your hands well with soap and warm water. Try checking your bag once every 2 to 3 hours to see. Follow proper sanitary protocols. Matt silver san diego kaiser permanente medical center for this tip which also applies to flushing any clotted peripheral line.

If this fails repeat the urokinase instillation but this time leave it in the line for several hours or overnight. Completely emptying the bag every time may.