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"&amp;lt;div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A midline catheter is a vascular access device (VAD) used for &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/chemotherapy-basics-for-breast-cancer-430309&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;chemotherapy&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Midline catheters are used when you need treatment for &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;one to six weeks.&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;\u00A0 These devices consist of a length of catheter inside your upper arm and an extension line outside your arm, which terminates in an end cap or a branching hub of multiple-access catheters. You &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;won&amp;amp;#39;t be stuck with an IV needle&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; for treatments, because your infusion nurse will use the midline catheter extension to give chemo drugs or other fluids.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A midline catheter is placed into an upper arm vein and reaches from your elbow &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;almost&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; to your armpit.\u00A0 A trained nurse can place the catheter without any need for general anesthesia. Midline catheter placement may be done in a clinic or a hospital room.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Unlike an &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://breastcancer.about.com/od/mnopterms/g/Portacath-Chemotherapy-Definition.htm&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot; rel=&amp;quot;nofollow&amp;quot;&amp;gt;implanted port,&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; a midline catheter does &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;not&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; extend all the way to your heart.\u00A0 That is why it&amp;amp;#39;s called midline \u2013 these catheters don&amp;amp;#39;t provide access to a central heart vein \u2013 these catheters go about midway to your heart.\u00A0 A PICC line and an implanted central venous access port have catheters that go all the way to your heart.\u00A0 A mid-clavicular catheter goes from your inner elbow to about the middle of your collarbone, or clavicle.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Long\u2010line, halfway, midline, extended peripheral, and Peripherally Inserted Catheter (PIC)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Your midline catheter can be used for several types of intravenous therapy.\u00A0 It can accommodate chemotherapy, saline for rehydration, sedatives, antibiotics, and blood transfusions.\u00A0 Some clinics will not use a midline catheter to take a blood draw for your &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/your-complete-blood-count-and-breast-cancer-treatment-430253&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;complete blood count.&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You will need to keep your catheter insertion point &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;clean and dry&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; to prevent infections.\u00A0 &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Always&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; wash your hands before touching or caring for the catheter.\u00A0 Ask your nurse for instructions about taking care of the dressing and flushing of the catheter line.\u00A0 Be sure that you or someone who will help you can keep the area sterile when changing the dressing.\u00A0 Have all supplies on hand before you clean your midline catheter.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Do not have blood pressure measurements done on your catheter arm.\u00A0 Don&amp;amp;#39;t lift more than 10 pounds with your catheter arm, to avoid straining the line or the dressing.\u00A0 Don&amp;amp;#39;t swim or take tub soaks while your midline catheter is in place.\u00A0 When you have a shower, do cover the external part of your midline catheter with plastic wrap or a bag, taped in place above and below the catheter.\u00A0 Protect your catheter&amp;amp;#39;s extension line from cuts and punctures.\u00A0 Do not pull on the extension line or rotate it in place.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It is normal for a little bleeding to occur around your catheter insertion point, but if it spreads wider than one inch, call for help.\u00A0 If the catheter appears to be &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;longer or shorter&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; than it was when you had it placed, call your clinic to have it examined.\u00A0 Infections can occur, so &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;if you have fever, chills or swelling,&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; report it to your doctor.\u00A0 You may need treatment for a blood infection \u2013 get help quickly.\u00A0 Sometimes a catheter or the extension gets blocked and won&amp;amp;#39;t flush easily.\u00A0 Don&amp;amp;#39;t force it, but do call for professional help.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/TreatmentTypes/Chemotherapy/ChemotherapyPrinciplesAnIn-depthDiscussionoftheTechniquesanditsRoleinTreatment/chemotherapy-principles-different-ways-to-take-chemo&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Chemotherapy Principles: An In-depth Discussion. What are the different ways to take chemotherapy? Types of central venous catheters (CVCs) or vascular access devices.&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0 American Cancer Society.\u00A0 Updated:\u00A0 09/28/2010&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures, Chapter 44, pp. 605-607. Lisa Dougherty, Sara E. Lister. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/midline-catheter-for-mid-term-chemotherapy-treatments-430074>