Ambulate with Femoral Lines

JF808Rn · Jul 23, 2010

At my hospital, we dont even raise the HOB. But we do put them in reverse trendelenberg. The risk is too high and perforating a major vessel is never a good thing...

NtannRN · Jul 24, 2010

Oh no, I don't think so. Fem lines are considered "diry" lines and are to be removed asap anyway. Just thinking of ambulating anyone with any kind of fem line gives me the heebeejeebees.:smackingf

nurseryn · Jan 1, 2011

depends on the length and flexibility of the sheath. cath lab sheaths are not designed to be flexible. long arterial sheaths used for monitoring are flexible and move with the patient, unless they have severe calcification and arterial hardening. Then you would be inviting a problem

I have to agree with this post.

A secured (i.e. sutured) flexible femoral arterial line would not pose anymore problems then a secured femoral venous catheter. Although the positioning/ambulation would need to be methodically performed and would require extensive patient and visitor teaching, I don't see a reason why else it would be contraindicated.

All of that being said, would I do it..probably not :down:

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jan 4, 2011

I'm trying to imagine what it would look when your patient femoral line (either A or V) gets caught on a chair and yanked out.

IVRUS, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

First and foremost,

Femoral IV catheters should be avoided whenever possible.. But in an emergency, place it and then remove it ASAP. Not only do infection rates skyrocket when these catheters are in place, but thrombus rates also increase. One must also worry about catheter erosion through the blood vessel, and catheter migration. So, NO.... They are not recommended nor encouraged. The only acceptable times would be those children up to walking age, or that burn pt who is bedridden.

Bossy Boss · Jan 23, 2011

We don't let them up, they can turn on their side (log roll), but must keep their leg straight. the line will kink, form a clot, bleed internal or from site and be useless. What type of line is it. Art/Venous?

tahoe77 · Mar 23, 2011

I think I'd have an MI if I saw my patient with an IABP ambulating.

Holy moly. Just the thought gives me chest pain.

richard1980 · Mar 24, 2011

Holy moly. Just the thought gives me chest pain.

Me too... yikes...

In a couple words.. ABSOLUTELY NOT ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND???!!

BelgianRN · Dec 31, 2011

depends on the length and flexibility of the sheath. cath lab sheaths are not designed to be flexible. long arterial sheaths used for monitoring are flexible and move with the patient, unless they have severe calcification and arterial hardening. Then you would be inviting a problem

I agree with this post. In our instution only patients with flexible fermoral art lines and femoral CVC's are allowed to sit in a chair. We will however advocate very hard with our intensivists to have the lines relocated to a more suitable site. Any other type of femoral katheter is a no go in ambulating the patients.

Anecdote. I do remember this one time when I was asked to assist on a pleurocentesis in an adjacent ICU. They had a patient "sitting" on the side of the bed on massive amounts of pressors and inotropes with an IABP in place and completely paralysed on a vent. All this to create access to puncture the fluid build up posterior of the lungs. Something about the whole scenario screamed "don't try this at home".