RE: Positive Pressure Caps & Opened Ended PICC Lines

[Shawn Hong]

I think maybe you are trying to say PICC lines without clamps on the extension legs are a safety concern.  This as well as air embolism are a possibility with any injection caps that might fall off.  Because of this reason many facilities have a protocol where if your line has a clamp, nurses are required to clamp it for extra safety measure.   There is one valve that is more prone to this than any other valve out on the market, especially if you have to periodically rotate the valve because of the design of the positive pressure valve.     Shawn From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dee Gary Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 6:05 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Positive Pressure Caps & Opened Ended PICC Lines   I have a question for both groups:   A medical device sales rep has been telling us that using positive pressure caps (i.e. CLC 2000, Ultrasite, etc.) with open ended PICC lines, which have clamps on the extension legs, are a safety concern.  He states that if a nurse forgets to clamp the extension leg, and the positive pressure cap comes off, then a bleed out situation could occur and this is a safety concern.   Can anyone that has had experience using positive pressure caps with open ended PICC lines please validate what we are being told?   Thank you very much!   Dee Do you Yahoo!? With a free 1 GB, there's more in store with Yahoo! Mail.