How to Clean a Hickman Catheter

A Hickman catheter, also referred to as a Hickman line, is inserted directly into a patient's vein in order to draw blood, administer medicine or supply nutrients. Hickman lines are made of narrow, flexible plastic tubing, which is typically 10 inches to a foot in length. Installation of the line involves making an entrance incision just below the collarbone. The line is then tunneled beneath the skin to an exit incision. To prevent infection and damage to the line, the Hickman catheter should be flushed clean after each use.

Things You'll Need

• Sterile latex gloves
• Syringe
• Heparinized saline (10 units per mL concentration)
• Replacement end cap

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Instructions

• 1

  Put on a pair of sterile latex gloves. This will help prevent the spread of germs and infection while handling the Hickman catheter.

• 2

  Insert a syringe needle into the fill port on a container of heparinized saline. If you have never filled a syringe before, refer to the instructions printed on the container of saline.

• 3

  Lift the plunger until the syringe fills with 5 cc (5 milliliters) of saline. Remove the needle from the container.

• 4

  Unscrew and dispose of the end cap on the line to reveal the reflux valve. On most lines, the cap is blue and located at the end of the catheter.

• 5

  Insert the syringe's needle into the reflux valve. While supporting the syringe and the bottom of the line with one hand, unclamp the catheter using your free hand.

• 6

  Depress the plunger on the syringe to flush the line with saline. If there is any resistance, check that the clamp remains open and that the tubing is not kinked or clogged. Keep your thumb pressed on the plunger.

• 7

  Close the catheter's clamp. Pull the syringe out of the reflux valve and dispose of it properly.

• 8

  Thread on a fresh end cap.