So, it has been a week since I was discharged from the hospital and the removal of my PICC line. However, I still have a hole in my arm. I have had several Picc lines in my life and they usually heal within 24 hours (they close). But this time it hasnt. Should I be worried and call my clinic?
After having a PICC Line
- Thread starter lgbionic
- Start date
S
stephen
Guest
There probably is nothing wrong - but I surely would call!
Christina.R
New member
Has it scabbed over? is it weeping fluid? or blood? Usually as long as it scabs, I dont stress. Dont shower for 3 days (you might smell like a goat). But if it isnt red/angry/infected or weeping/bleeding, probably just need a bit more time to heal this time around. I've hit mine in the past with polysporin, but I'm a very slow healer, it seems to help 
CyrilCrodius
New member
Get hydrocolloid dressings, stamp one over your hole, shower like a boss!
I find it useful to keep a roll of hospital tape and use it to "peel" the dead skin around the hole so the hydrocolloid bandage sticks better (it will come off rather easily if you have a lot of dead skin that didn't naturally fell off while you had a dressing). Of course I don't touch the hole or peel too close to it and I use alcohol swabs to carefully disinfect around the hole before I apply the dressing.
If I see that it starts to peel, I use a piece of tape to stick it into place. You do NOT want it to come off because the way it works is that the fluids in your wound makes the bandage swell into a kind of gel that acts as a scab. So taking it off might cause bleeding, just like removing a scab would. You will have to keep it for a few days.
If you have a scab, put it over the scab. It doesn't matter. What matters is that it's safe from any water or bacteria.
I find it useful to keep a roll of hospital tape and use it to "peel" the dead skin around the hole so the hydrocolloid bandage sticks better (it will come off rather easily if you have a lot of dead skin that didn't naturally fell off while you had a dressing). Of course I don't touch the hole or peel too close to it and I use alcohol swabs to carefully disinfect around the hole before I apply the dressing.
If I see that it starts to peel, I use a piece of tape to stick it into place. You do NOT want it to come off because the way it works is that the fluids in your wound makes the bandage swell into a kind of gel that acts as a scab. So taking it off might cause bleeding, just like removing a scab would. You will have to keep it for a few days.
If you have a scab, put it over the scab. It doesn't matter. What matters is that it's safe from any water or bacteria.