Why Choose a PICC?


Vascular access must be matched to the medical needs and condition of the individual patient. For some patients, PICC lines are the safest method to deliver infusion therapy. For others a PICC avoids the risk of an invasive surgical procedure required to place a long term central catheter. Many patients appreciate the benefit of PICC in-home infusion and a quick return to normal activities. PICCs avoid the pain and injury involved in repeated punctures with short peripheral catheters. Cost is also a consideration.

PICC utilization reports
JAVA study 2005 Clinical Research Study 2014 Intermountain medical Center 2011
Long-Term Antibiotics 45% Long-Term Antibiotics 52% Medications 39.2%
Venous Access 21% Venous Access 21% Antibiotics 29.2%
TPN 12% TPN 16% Venous access 23.9%
Unknown 9% Chemo 11% TPN 7.3%
Chemo 8%     Other 3.6%
Multiple reasons 5%     Chemo 0.6%

Indications for PICC line insertion include:

Possible contraindications for placement of a PICC can include:


References

Burns D. (2005) CLINICAL INVESTIGATION: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS
The Vanderbilt PICC Service: Program, Procedural, and Patient Outcomes Successes
Journal of the Association for Vascular Access (JAVA), Vol. 10 No. 4

Chopra V., Ratz D., Kuhn L., Lopus T., Chenworth C., Klein S. (2014) PICC-associated Bloodstream Infections: Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors. The American Journal of Medicine. CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY| VOLUME 127, ISSUE 4 , P319-328.

Gonzalez R, Cassaro S. Percutaneous Central Catheter. [Updated 2020 Sep 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459338/

QHC. 2016. Resource Manual. Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters.

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