Anyone who is self-administering gets an extension, (used to be 12 inch, now 18 inch - upper-arm PICCs) so handedness isn't part of the equation in our practice setting. People who have both hands need to be able to use them.
Penny On Jul 31, 2006, at 8:47 AM, Lynn Hadaway wrote: <excerpt>For declotting in home care, try this one: <fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>1. Moureau N, Poole S, Murdock M, Gray S, Semba C. Central venous catheters in home infusion care: Outcomes analysis in 50,470 patients. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiologists. 2002;13:1009-1016.</fontfamily> Why do you think that left arm placement should not be the first choice? You will need a longer catheter and there is the possibility of it abutting the right side of the SVC wall if it is not long enough. But for home care you must think about the patient's handedness and if they will be expected to do any of their flushes, connections, etc. With the catheter in the right hand, a right handed person may have real trouble with performing all these tasks left-handed. Think about their increased risk of contaminating the system and balance this against the catheter length. For a properly positioned tip in the lower SVC, a left sided PICC insertion could be the best site. Lynn At 7:24 AM -0700 7/31/06, Denise Harper wrote: <excerpt>Thanks so much. Do you Yahoo!? Next-gen email? Have it all with the <color><param>0000,0000,EEEE</param>all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.</color> </excerpt> <fixed>-- </fixed> Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RNC, CRNI Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc. 126 Main Street, PO Box 10 Milner, GA 30257 http://www.hadawayassociates.com office 770-358-7861 </excerpt>
