The Avita PICC team is a group of highly skilled professionals who are specially trained in vascular access. Vascular refers to the vessels in the body that carry blood. The vascular system is made up of two types of vessels:
- Arteries, which carry blood away from the heart
- Veins, which carry blood back to the heart
Vascular access is the placement of a catheter line (a thin tube) into a patient’s vein to provide treatment or therapy (also called infusion or IV therapy). The catheter — also called an intravenous (IV) line may be placed for different reasons, depending on the type of treatment needed. Some examples of vascular access lines are:
- Peripherally Inserted Catheters (PICC)
- Midlines
- Ultrasound Guided (USG) Peripheral IV
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
A PICC is a hollow, flexible catheter that is inserted into a vein in the upper arm. Using ultrasound imaging for guidance, the tip of the PICC catheter is placed and ends in the cavo-atrial junction near the heart. Medical teams use PICCs to administer medicine such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, hydration (fluids), or nutrition (food) to patients who cannot take them orally. Clinicians can also use PICCs to collect blood for lab tests.
A specialist can insert the PICC into your arm using a sterile technique. To insert the PICC, the specialist numbs the skin on the upper arm with local anesthetic to minimize discomfort during insertion.
PICC lines can stay in for days to months, depending on your health needs.
Midlines
Midlines are a type of peripheral IV inserted into the upper arm. The flexible catheter is 5 to 8 inches long. A sterile technique is used so the midline can remain in the arm for up to four weeks with a low risk of infection.
To place the midline, the area on your upper arm is numbed with local anesthetic to minimize pain.
Ultrasound Guided (USG) Peripheral IV
The PICC team also accepts referrals for patients with limited venous access options who need assistance with USG Peripheral IVs for infusions, access for CT/MRI scans, and access for certain procedures.
Vascular Access Procedures are Performed When Patients Need:
- Long-term antibiotic treatment
- Hydration therapy to restore fluids to a dehydrated patient
- Total parental nutrition (TPN) to provide nutrition when the gastrointestinal tract is not functioning and unable to absorb nutrients the body needs; a nutrition solution is provided through a catheter in a vein (intravenous feeding)
- Certain types of chemotherapy and immunotherapy
- Repeated blood draws
- Pain management
The Avita PICC team is available for inpatient and outpatient services. Team members strive to ensure that each patient receives the most appropriate line for their vascular access and do their best to make the experience as comfortable as possible.
PICC Team Hours of Operation The hours of operation for the PICC team are Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM. They can be reached at 419- 462-3491, Ext. 7467.