Failed port needles and bad rash from the tape.

[mysticrose]

My oldest DD just got her new port a cath a few weeks ago. We are on week 3 of IV meds and her second needle failed. First time was when the home health nurse was here and she tried to flush her with heprin after her Tobi ran through. The saline went just fine but the heprin wouldn't go through and we couldn't get any draw back from it. So she deaccessed her and reaccessed her. Then this morning when my husband was trying to flush her after her other medication went through same thing happened. Once a new set up is put in we have perfect blood flow and can flush with no problems.
Any ideas on what is the problem could be? We used our needles which are .5 inch the first time because they go flush with the skin. Second time the nurse used the .75 inch and same thing. We NEVER had this issue before and still have another week of meds.

Also DD's skin is now so red and raw. She is allergic to tape. We have tried all kinds and the only thing we have found that didn't turn her skin to hamburger with in an hour was Hypafix. Granted it's not sterile but we would put tagaderm over it to protect the site and make sure that wasn't touching her skin at all. Now DD is just REALLY raw and nasty looking again.

Any other tape suggestions? One nurse suggested an "Island dressing" ?

I know at a cancer clinic in Texas when the kids became allergic to tape they started using press and seal. Of course every time I mention it around here everyone looks at me like I'm crazy. I just don't like her skin getting so raw and inflamed.
Just curious if anyone else had and different bag of tricks that might help.

TIA,
Jen mom to 4. 3 w/cf and 1 lucky red head.

 

[JustDucky]

Maybe you need to flush the port with more Normal saline after each infusion.. I have had this happen, where the drug crystalizes in my line and then I have to change the needle out. Once I started flushing with 20 cc of saline versus 10, that seemed to do the trick.. A far as dressings go, I get blisters with tegaderms. I have to change out my dressings frequently because whenever I sweat, it pools under the dressing and then my skin becomes very irritated. My guess is because it is so salty and corrosive. Maybe change the dressing more? I am sure others will chime in here with suggestions , hopefully...

Jenn 40 wCF

 

[Lysa Morrow Mulloy]

I used to carry my own Hypafix with me, but this time I got dermatitis from that. Tegaderm doesn't work for me either. I just ordered 2different brands from amazon. I can't wait for them to arrive. I've read about the press and seal but have never tried it. I've gotten desperate enough to put sterile gauze down and just wrap it with coban, but I have a PICC not a medport. That's not exactly stile either, but I figure it's better than me taking the dressing and exposing it every couple hours.

 

[CrisDopher]

Sounds to me, on both cases, like the syringe wasn't screwed on well enough. To have the saline flush normally and then the heparine just won't go simply points to the spring valve not being open. Perhaps your hep-lock syringes aren't perfectly compatible with the valve type being used. Screw those things on well!

As for the rash, you need to invest in a skin protectant. Also, when the nurse does the iodine and alcohol swabs, make SURE that the skin is completely dry before the tegaderm goes on. Same goes for any skin protect put on as a last step before the tegaderm. NO MOISTURE.