Broviac Central Catheter
| A central
catheter is just what it sounds like: a catheter, or tube, placed
centrally, or near the heart. Previously, I had a
Bardport single lumen implanted
port. An implanted port is placed under the skin of the chest. A
needle is inserted into a "well" and fluids are administered that way.
My particular one was a single lumen, meaning only one medicine or task
could be done at one time. Now, however, I have a
Broviac. With this, I have
two lumens, a bigger catheter, and there is no well (and, in turn, no
needle). Instead, two pieces of the catheter stick out of the skin in a
"y" shape. There are clamps on these two pieces to keep fluids and blood
from coming backwards out of the catheter when you do not want it to.
The Broviac (the Bardport, too) allows for blood pulls; which means I
will not have to be stuck with a needle every time a blood test is
needed. Implantation is done under general anesthesia, meaning I will be
asleep in the operating room for about one hour. I will most likely not
be able to play contact sports or participate in gym activities.
For more information, go to The Broviac/Hickman Parent Handbook.
NOTE: This is old, but I wanted to keep it up for records' sake. Currently I have a similar type of implantable device called a pheresis catheter that is essentially the same as a Broviac catheter. The difference is that the lumens are wider, so the flow of blood is better. |