How is the PICC line placed?
A doctor or specially trained registered nurse will place a PICC line in a person’s arm. The procedure is done either in a hospital or in an outpatient facility. Using a needle or a guide wire, the provider inserts the PICC line into a vein located in the arm. From there it is threaded into a larger vein near the heart. Once the catheter is in the correct position, the needle or guide wire is removed and the catheter is left in place. The catheter site is covered with a sterile dressing and the tubing is securely taped to the person’s skin. Plastic tubing is connected to the end of the catheter. A chest x-ray will be done after the PICC line is inserted to check that it is correctly placed. How long can a PICC line stay in place? The PICC catheter can generally remain in place from five days to several months. In some cases, the catheter can remain in place for up to a year. What type of care does the PICC line require? The dressing is changed once a week by a registered nurse. If the
