Success Habits and Secrets to Infection Prevention and Getting the Most Mileage Out of Your PICC Line, Central Line or Port

As a TPN patient for over forty years I grew up with the central line and then I gave birth to a child with the same disease who has a central line as well. She has been completely TPN dependent for 12 years I have become an expert at preventing infection in my Hickman central lines and P.I.C.C. lines I have had over the year.

I have had very few infections often I have to have my line replaced because the actual plastic of the catheter would wear out and get a hole. My daughter and I have mastered our skills. She rarely if never gets line or site infections and the reason we end up changing out her line is because she has had the same central line for so long she “out grows” her lines.

I always use proper techniques of infection prevention, washing hands, wearing sterile gloves and masks, etc. But I will share with you seven more secrets and my methodology for success. In this document, I will put links to the brands of products I use and prefer. I am not an affiliate or sales representative for these products, these just happen to be the products I like and have found the most success with using over the years.

Habits, Routines, and Products I use:

I swear by a few tried and trusted products as well as habits. I am not affiliated with any of these products I just have used over these various items over many years and prefer them.

Habit #1

I always change my dressing on the line once a week or after a shower. If ever my line gets wet or the adhesive on my Tegaderm https://www.3m.com/3M/en_LB/p/d/v000058077/ comes loose change the dressing immediately- better safe than sorry. I also change my clave connector once a week, or after showers or a blood draw. https://www.telemedrs.com/pdf/icu/Clave%20tehnologija.pdf

On the end of my clave connector, I always wear a disinfecting cap, sometimes their called by the brand names Swab cap or Curos Jet to keep the end clean when not in use. https://www.medline.com/media/catalog/Docs/MKT/MPL_Disinfection%20Cap%20Comparison%20Guid.pdf

When changing my dressing I have really liked using Chloraprep not alcohol (acetone) and/or Iodine to clean the site https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6670/smpc#gref

The last part of my dressing change kit that I always use to prevent infection is a Bio patch https://www.jnjmedicaldevices.com/en-GB/product/biopatch-protective-disk-chg

Habit #2

I have found that injecting a small amount three times a week in place of using Heparin in your central line. Use dehydrated alcohol to prevent crystals from building up inside the line from lipids, etc.

Habit #3

No swimming or submerging my line in hot tubs, dirty swimming pools, river water, etc.

Other methods for getting the most mileage out of my PICC or Hickman central line or port.

1. I always have the surgeons put in a single lumen line Unless it is specifically for a short and temporary period of time like right before my transplant surgery so I would have plenty of I.V. access during my 12-hour surgery and two month recovery period in the hospital while I am healing from a major multi-visceral 5 organ transplant. (My transplant surgeon instructed me to do the double lumen because I had so many IV infusions and medications that having a double lumen would be more efficient. I do not like double-lumen lines because I feel like any time I have ever tried double-lumen it brings double the chance of line infections.)

2. If on the rare occasion my doctors did suspect infection I always ask them if it was at all possible I would ask to try antibiotics first before immediately just surgically replacing it. Some doctors will not do this and want to resort to a new line so it is important to work with a doctor who listens to you and is willing to work with you. (This is a wise thing to do because over many years of having central lines limited access to surgically removing and replacing the line.)3. Another idea I use is to make my lines last as long as possible…if for some reason my line gets a hole, breaks, etc. I have it repaired and save myself from having to have another surgery to place my line. https://www.medline.com/jump/product/x/Z05-PF69791

I hope these habits and tips are helpful to you if you would like to watch the video where I go into more history, show pictures of items, etc.

Click here

Why do I do what I do?

After my 5-organ transplant, I was blessed with a second chance at life ( If you want to know more about my story go to my about me page on my website mnelson@melindacoaching.com

I want to honor my donor by “paying it forward” feel it is important to be a part of the patient/caregiver community and share my journey with others if you have questions or ever need any help and would like to chat more via email you can contact me at mnelson@melindacoaching.com

Best wishes-

Melinda Nelson