Port needle issues..

[mysticrose]

My DD is on IV's right now through her port. She typically uses a half inch but the hospital and visiting nurses only carry a .75 inch. Which in the hospital is ok because then they can use the bio patch underneath. Lately though the needles have been failing. Once when we were in the hospital and second time was when we got her home and reaccessed her. At first it was working great then all of a sudden couldn't flush or draw back. When we removed the needle I tried to flush it and nothing could get through.

Could it be that because it is so long she is bumping it some how and causing the tip to bend with a .75 inch?
Or are has that length been a problem for people lately?

This is frusterating because I don't have many more .50 inch needles at home. The hospital doesn't carry them and from what the nurses have said since noone else uses that small of a needle they won't order them. How can she be the ONLY person to need that short of a needle?

Jen mom to 4 kiddos. 3/cf and one lucky red head.

 

[Jana]

Jen,

I've used both without any trouble. The home infusion place only has .5, so that's what they always send me. The nurses at the clinic where I generally have it flushed or accessed for IVs have .75 and like those better. The hospital has both. It doesn't seem to make any difference for me.

Sorry I can't really help. Hope this is resolved for you quickly.

Jana

 

[JustDucky]

Maybe it is getting clogged with residue from the meds. I find that I need to flush mine with at least 10cc's, better yet, 20 before and after each IV infusion. If labs are being drawn, it is especially important that it gets flushed with at least 20cc after the draw (10cc before). I use .75's as well without any incident, even used a full inch when I have run out of the 75's, also without any problems. Try flushing more aggressively and see what happens..
Good luck!

Jenn 40 wCf