title: Safety and efficacy of the POP technique for restoring patency to occluded PIC catheters.
abstract: Peripheral-inserted central catheters (PICCs) offer a successful alternative to peripheral venipuncture for long term medication therapy. When catheters become occluded, the nurse must intervene to avoid delayed or missed treatments. Pharmacological interventions are costly and not without risks. The purpose of this exploratory study was to test a mechanical percussive POP technique to restore patency. Thirty PICC catheters were clotted with human blood and incubated for 8 hours in a 35 degrees saline bath. Using the percussive POP technique, a 10-mL syringe with 1 mL of saline restored patency in 86% of the occluded catheters. The safety and effectiveness of the POP technique in vitro was established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA.
authors.forename: Susan Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fetzer
authors.forename: Griffin P D
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Manning
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D010474:Percussion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013396:Suction; D013594:Syringes / Q000592:standards; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride