A PICC is a long, thin, flexible tube known as a catheter. It is inserted into one of the large veins of the arm near the bend of the elbow. It is then slid into the vein until the tip sits in a large vein just above the heart.


here is a good link hope this helps

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Linesports/PICCline

ncbrowney is right, but it can be put in a few places, near the shoulders and upper arms are where my hubby had his, they do it in a clean room with a trained team and a special xray machine. he had a total of 5 put in (he kept pulling them out part of the way). good luck

They don't always do it in a clean room with an experienced team and an X-Ray machine.. which is called a "Fluoroscope".

I got one in a place I call the Hamlet From Hell in West Virginia.

They did it in a hospital bed, there were about 9 nurses and training aides watching, my 78 year old roommate Nellie and her two adult daughter who were my age.

I was told afterwards that I was the most difficult PICC line insertion the doctor, who I refer to as a Butcher, ever put in.

I was abused terribly. From psychologically to physically.. to you name it. The procedure caused me to have a lung collapse, loose contol of my bowels and bladder, and they transversed a nerve in my right shoulder/collar bone area that to this day has caused a terrible problem with using my right arm and hand.

Immediately afterwards, the blood would flow into my right arm, but not flow out.. my arm and hand grew about three times it's normal size and was turning a purple blackish color.

The doctor swore that the PICC line was fine, but said, "Well, I will take it out just to be conservative with you since you're upset".

He was just another bogus murderer of the West Virginia fraternity of malicious malfeasant pigs that call themselves doctors!

Well..

We left WV and went to Colorado and my life was saved, and I was given a new PICC line, done by a radiologist using a fluoroscope and a sterile environment.

So.. what did I learn..

YOU HAVE TO LITERALLY ASK FOR A RADIOLOGIST TO PERFORM THE PROCEDURE AND NOT AGREE TO ANYONE ELSE DOING IT ANYWHERE BUT IN A SPECIAL STERILE ROOM USED TO PROCEDURES!!!

Do not even for a second allow you or your loved ones to go through.. what I call to this very day..

A Medical Rape.

(They also, ripped off my gown and the doctor doing the procedure in WV put his knee up on the bed, was sceaming about needle sizes and how he wanted more light.. It was one of the single most horrid experiences in my life.. and since I really WAS raped in college, I KNOW it was as bad as that.. The blantant disregard for my dignity or well being.. the abuse was intense.

So.. be careful.. and demand good medical care!!!

And.. stay out of West Virginia.

oh goodness me - that was a terrible experience (the last entry) - hopefully most are easy and well done. oh, the things people go through...:(...sometimes I feel that my life is really easy when I come into DS...phew!

I do remember being with a friend in hospital when she had just had one of these put in and shortly afterwards her leg started to really swell up! it was scary but it was soon put right,but it just does show how careful everyone needs to be ....:(...........