ABSTRACT
A PICC line is a peripheral, through a vein inserted, central venous catheter. There are different engineered stabilisation devices - some are with and some without a sutural. This is an individual case-report which only looks at one concrete fixing system with an adhesive plate (StatLock®).In an internet search on 12/2017 the usual care-recommendation refers mainly to a document of Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (04/2014). It is recommended to change the adhesive plate and the plaster every seven days. Also irrigations during the change of the adhesive plate and after each use of the PICC line are recommended. This procedure also includes the take off and new fixation of the adhesive plate as well as the disinfection and cleaning of the skin and the fixation of the plaster.This case report looked at a 65 years old masculine, cachectic, palliative patient with a metastasizing prostate cancer in a weak condition. He was able to move within his residential area. He had no cognitive or psychological impairment.The installation of the PICC line on the left upper arm was done in 04/2017. When the patient came to our mobile palliative team one of the lines was used for pain therapy with a PCA-pump. The second line was irrigated with 10 ml NaCl by his wife daily.At the beginning the adhesive plate was changed every 14 days. Because of skin irritations and pain during the change of the bandage the patient decided at the 10.8.2017 to do no more further changes of the adhesive plate.The adhesive plate was controlled through the transparent plaster and the transparent plaster was changed for the first time on the 20.10.2017 without removing the adhesive plate. The change of the adhesive plate itself was done on the 13.12.2017 without any complications.In this described case there were no complications even after more than 4 months (20 weeks) although there was no change of the adhesive plate during this time.It is suggested to individualize the interval of the change of the adhesive plate for palliative patient even more. Larger studies could give more detailed guidelines for an extend change interval. Thereby the comfort and the safety of the patient should be more important than the economic aspects (less effort and smaller costs because of the extended intervals of change).
Subject(s)
Catheterization, Peripheral , Central Venous Catheters , Palliative Care/methods , Aged , Berlin , Catheterization, Peripheral/instrumentation , Catheterization, Peripheral/methods , Humans , Male , Pain Management , Prostatic Neoplasms/complicationsABSTRACT
In palliative medicine planning in advance is important for critical care situations. It is highly significant to make useful and by the patient and his relatives desired decisions. These concern transport in a situation of crisis and the venue of death (either death at home or transfer to a hospital).In this study the effect of a new Emergency Information Form about the place of death was examined. The used Emergency Information Form enabled the patient to express a wish on transfer in the case of crisis in advance and communicate this wish to the Emergency system.A total of 858 patients, taken care of by the mobile palliative-team Hartberg/Weiz/Vorau in the period from 2010 to 2015, were included in the study. The Intervention group-the patients for whom an Emergency Information Form was established-counted 38 patients. Data analysis was retrospective, pseudo anonymized and external.The 4 most important results were:1) The Emergency Information Form increased the probability for the intervention group to die at home (intervention group: 72.2%, controll group 1: 53.0%, controll group 2: 56.6%).2) Important in this change was, that the opinion of the patients was considered. The decision made in the Emergency Information Form correlated with a high significance (pâ¯= 0.01) with the actual place of death.3) Furthermore, it came clear that the Emergency Information Form was a useful tool to handle the utilization of special facilities. Within the intervention group young patients (with a lot of symptoms) died in a special facility more often than old patients. These, rather geriatric people, were mostly brought to a general hospital.4) There was no significant relation between the duration of care and the probability that an Emergency Information Form was established (pâ¯= 0.63). However, there was a high significance between the number of home visits and the probability that an Emergency Information Form was written (pâ¯= 0.02).Due to the fact that there was a small intervention group restricted to only one palliative team further studies could help to make clear advises for palliative teams regarding scope, duration and frequency of home-visits. Thus the term "care continuity" could be concretized in the guidelines.The study brought forward that numerous (and short) contacts with the patient were more convenient than less but long home-visits in order to fulfil the patients wish concerning his place of death.
Subject(s)
Access to Information , Decision Making , Emergency Medical Services , Patient Care Planning , Terminal Care , Aged , Death , Humans , Palliative Care , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
A small prospective, multicentre study examined the effect of a perceptual acoustic stimulus (music) on quality of life of palliative cancer patients with special reference to pain.14 test subjects (m = 4, w = 10; age 67.6 (SD = 9.7)) in stationary or mobile care situation were included. The current therapy has not been modified.Each subject received a CD with 12 songs, an information folder, a guide to using the CD as well as a questionnaire.The offered music therapy was experienced by all study participants (100 %) as helpful. The effect was seen differently in psychological, physical, spiritual, and social quality of life. The pain was reduced nociable in 11 out of 14 participants.From the experience of the autors we demand to offer and enable music therapy in palliative care to each patient, but also adapt to their individual needs.
