We don't still do it. When something has shown no clinical benefit, why bother?
Leigh Ann
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wed, 10 May 2006 17:20:16 -0400
Subject: Re: RE: RE: Biceps Measurement
I have always had doubts about the efficacy of this practice. I have yet to see it predict a thrombos. Yet we still do it. I have never made a clinical judgement on arm measurement alone. Personally I think it's useless.
Case in point; Saw a Pt. in the ER who was instructed to come in by the home care RN. 32yro male, (CF) with a 4fr Lt. basilic PICC inserted 2 inches above the A/C. (why IR placed it there, I'll never know) Pt. unable to fully extend arm at the elbow and had a 3-4cm area of slight redness with some slight swelling 3 inches below the insertion area. The bicep was unchanged (no base line bicep measurement taken since it was done as an out Pt.) and not remarkable. I Suggested Pt. get a vascular consult and have a color doppler done. ER MD questioned me and thought it was possibly a cellulitis. Long story short....Pt. had a thrombos from the elbow to the axilla!
Peter Marino RN BSN
