If the catheter is functioning - no resistance and produces a blood return and no other signs or symptoms of infiltration/extravasation, infection etc - the safest thing is to leave the catheter in place, continue to use it and treat the DVT. Removing and inserting a new one is only going to cause another DVT in the new site. There have been previous discussions about this issue on this forum with references listed. A search should pull those up. Lynn
If the catheter is functioning - no resistance and produces a blood return and no other signs or symptoms of infiltration/extravasation, infection etc - the safest thing is to leave the catheter in place, continue to use it and treat the DVT. Removing and inserting a new one is only going to cause another DVT in the new site. There have been previous discussions about this issue on this forum with references listed. A search should pull those up. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
I would recommend reading "Chest" the official publichtion of the American College of Chest Physicians 2011. The goal is vein preservation.