Medical procedure Question ....mom's in hospital

by troubled mind 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  nsrn

  The only obvious way to shear off the tip that I know is if you reinserted the stylet while having trouble threading the catheter, puncturing and shearing off the catheter. That fragment can potentially float downstream--medical term is an embolism. Wherever it gets hung up determines the problem--heart valve, lung, brain, etc.

  I can't picture in my mind what is missing and presumed inside the patient. I mean, when I discontinue an IV, I always eyeball the catheter to verify it is the expected length, smooth tipped and intact. What could possibly be lost in the bed??? I mean, if you remove the catheter and it's not intact, it's in the patient. They don't just crumble!

  I would guess that flouroscopy would be the obvious tool to look for the thing. Most insertible medical devices have a radiopaque stripe so you check for placement.
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  troubled mind

  Nsrn.... What you explained is what the EMT described to my sister -- the tip was basically sheared off the catheter , I'm sure they were probably having a hard time with insertion . Her veins are really bad the lab people always have a hard time getting IV's started on her . They are keeping her over night for observation . She seems to be okay now that her blood sugars are stable .
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  troubled mind

  Also thanks for the suggestions about a home glucagon emergency kit I will tell my Dad to ask the Dr. about getting one . I would worry about the honey in her mouth since she might choke when she is unconsious. This is the third time this summer she has had a serious bottoming out and an ambulance had to be called . Her Doctor keeps reducing her insulin , but I think he still has her on way to much . She takes two injections a day of long lasting , and then quick acting kind at meals using a sliding scale plus some kind of pills( which I just heard about tonight ) that work with insulin.
• 

  MsMcDucket

  I would worry about the honey in her mouth since she might choke when she is unconsious.

  Okay. She might die when she's unconsious. Life over death. Honey bucally when you don't have a choice.
• 

  nsrn

  For people who are no longer awake enough to protect the airway, but don't have IV access, IM glucagon is a good answer. If she's truly unresponsive, I'm not sure you could get enough glucose paste or honey to absorb buccally without aspirating.

  I work in the ER. Crummy veins are the norm with bad diabetics. Has her doctor ever talked about a mediport? It's a surgically inserted iv site in a central vein that can be accessed in emergencies.

  Does she see a specialist for her diabetes management? I don't think I've ever seen anyone on long acting (Lantus) twice a day. Most people get that once a day, and frequent monitoring with coverage with rapid acting insulin. Some people who are 'insulin resistant' are also on the pills.

  Nancy