How Does a PICC Line Work?
A PICC (percutaneously inserted central catheter) line is a long-term intravenous access device that enables patients to receive IV drugs. It also enables health-care workers to draw blood without repeated needle sticks to patients. Patients who have small veins that collapse easily or are difficult to find benefit greatly from a PICC line, which may remain in place anywhere from several months to a year. PICC lines are inserted by specially trained personnel. A peripheral vein is chosen, usually on the upper inside of the arm, and a guide wire is threaded through a vein under the clavicle and down near the heart. The outside of the PICC line catheter is then sutured to the patient’s skin, and a sterile dressing applied. An immediate chest X-ray is then performed to ensure proper placement of the line. Cancer patients benefit greatly from PICC lines, which are more comfortable than peripheral IV lines as they are most frequently placed on the inside of the upper arm. A patient is able
