If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to the use of a PICC line, you may be entitled to compensation. Although PICC (peripheral inserted central catheter) lines are used regularly in medicine, if they are improperly placed, they can lead to severe injury or infection. There is also some evidence that their short-term use can be inappropriate and lead to complications. If these are medical issues you have dealt with, our lawyers may be able to help.
What is a PICC Line?
A peripherally inserted central catheter “is a long, thin tube that’s inserted through a vein in your arm and passed through to the larger veins near your heart,” the Mayo Clinic reported, noting that they may occasionally be placed in patient’s legs as well.
A PICC line is usually used to give medications or liquid nutrition more directly to the central veins near the heart. They demand close monitoring for complications, including infection and blood clots.
PICC Line Injuries
Medical professionals are required to follow strict guidelines when inserting, maintaining, and removing PICC lines. If they are not placed correctly and you suffer an injury as a result of this negligence, you may have legal options.
Additionally, PICC lines may lead to medical issues more often than many patients are aware of. In a 2018 study published in the February issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine that looked at thousands of PICC placements over a two-year period from 2014 to 2016, “9.6 percent of the short-term PICC patients experienced a complication, “ according to the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI) at the University of Michigan.
That figure included “2.5 percent who experienced a blood clot forming in their vein that could have broken off and caused more serious consequences, and 0.4 percent developing a CLABSI, or central line-associated bloodstream infection.”
Plus, in a 2020 study, 28 percent of patients with PICC lines and midlines suffered sepsis and 7 percent developed septic shock, and a 2016 study revealed 37.5 percent of patients evaluated in the study had a line-associated blood clot. Those numbers may be alarming to patients unaware of the dangers and could suggest manufacturers aren’t developing catheters to properly reduce the risk of blood clots and blood infection.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Lawsuits
Manufacturers who don’t design these medical devices in a way to reduce the risk of blood clots and blood infections, or medical professionals who don’t take proper care when placing, maintaining, or removing them, may be able to face justice in the form of legal action.
Complications caused by PICC line use can include thrombosis or blood clots associated with the line, bloodstream infections, PICC blockage, failure, or migration, and more. If a line is not placed correctly, it can cause serious issues such as arrhythmias, perforation of blood vessels, improper delivery of medication, and other major medical issues.
An experienced attorney can help determine if your injury was a result of improper care and guide you through the legal process. A lawyer can also help you pursue justice if it can be proven that a manufacturer continued to make and sell inferior PICC lines despite knowing the devices could break or migrate, leading to blood clots, infection, and more.
Get Help from Phillips Law Group
At Phillips Law Group, our lawyers are exceptionally experienced in advocating on behalf of our clients in personal injury cases involving medical devices, and our dedicated team is committed to securing the compensation you deserve.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation. The initial evaluation is a confidential, no-obligation meeting where we can discuss your specific circumstances and lay out the legal avenues available to you.
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