Central Venous Catheter for Dialysis

Care instructions

Caring for your central venous catheter is important to keep your catheter working well.

For the first 1 to 2 days after your catheter is inserted, the area around it may be sore. There may also be a small amount of blood on the dressing.

Contact your dialysis unit or access nurse if:

• You feel sore for more than 2 days.
• Your usual pain medicines don’t help to manage soreness.
• You have bleeding that doesn’t stop.
• You have a lot of bleeding.

Precautions

Stitches

You may have stitches in your neck and 1 to 2 stitches in your chest. The stitches help to keep your catheter in the proper position until it heals in place.

If you have stitches in your neck, they will be taken out in about 2 weeks. The stitches in your chest will need to stay in for at least 8 weeks.

If any stitches fall out, call your dialysis unit or access nurse right away. You will need new stitches or a dressing.

?Infection

To lower the risk of infection:

• Do not touch the skin around the catheter.
• Always keep your catheter covered with a dressing.
• Do not get your catheter or caps wet. Keep the catheter dry when you shower. If you take a bath, do not put the catheter under water. Your dialysis nurse or access nurse can give you tips on how to cover your dressing.
• Avoid using hot tubs and pools.
• Wear a mask when your nurse changes your dressing or connects you to dialysis.

Safety

Your healthcare team will give you a set of clamps when your catheter is inserted. They will show you how to use these clamps if needed. Always keep these clamps with you. You may need to clamp the catheter if it gets damaged.

For safety:

• Keep your catheter clamped when it's not being used.
• Never use scissors, pins, or other sharp objects near your catheter or other tubing to avoid damaging them.

When to call your nurse

Call your access nurse or dialysis nurse if:

• Your catheter moves (seems longer) and there is bleeding:

• Cover the spot with gauze and put pressure on the access site. If the bleeding does not stop in 10 minutes, call 911.
• Do not push the line back in.
• If you can, tape the line down in its current position.

• Your catheter falls out and may or may not have bleeding:

• Put pressure just above your collar bone where the line enters the vein in your neck.
• If the bleeding does not stop in 10 minutes, you have chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.

• Your catheter site becomes red, hurts, or has discharge. You may have an infection that needs treatment.
• You have a temperature over 38°C (100.3°F) with or without chills.

If you are not able to speak to the access nurse or your dialysis nurse, go to your nearest emergency department.

Access nurse phone numbers

• Calgary 403-944-9900
• Edmonton 780-735-9744
• Lethbridge 403-388-6599
• Medicine Hat 403-529-8807??
• Red Deer 403-343-4788

On weekends or after 3 p.m., or if you can’t speak to your nurse, go to your nearest emergency department.??

To see this information online and learn more, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca/health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=custom.ab_central_venous_catheter_ac.

For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call Health Link at 811.

Current as of: October 31, 2024

Author: Kidney Health, Medicine Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services

This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.