Cannula removal

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Hi, all

I removed a cannula from baby's hand. After doing this, from the whole made where the needle pierced the skin there was something like a thread hanging out. I've touched it and moved it gently and to be honest to me it looked like it could have been a vein or such. It was really compact, truly it looked like a peace of thread.

I then kind of pulled gently at it and it came off, but it seemed to me that this action caused pain to the baby.

Now I wonder what that could have been and if somehow I maybe cause some damage and endangered the patient?

What do you guys think?

Many thanks for your replies!

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Specializes in NICU.

Maybe a stringy clot? What color was it?

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Specializes in Cardiac/Progressive Care.

In my experience, that is usually a thread of clotted blood. Sometimes IV catheter removal is uncomfortable anyway, so the baby could have been upset from the removal in general.

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The color was dark red.

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The baby was good over the whole removal, just the stringy part upset him. Once mom spoke to him gently, he was fine again. Sorry, but I really don't know how other way to describe it.

After removing the whole thing, I watched it for a while, and it seemed fine. No bleeding, no swelling, no redness. I then applied a pasture and went on about my jobs.

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I've read on the web today that the tip of the canulae might occasionally scrape the inside of a vein. I'm thinking if that would have been the case, the "shred"would not have been round and compact. So I don't think that's what I've seen. By the way, the length of it was about the size of the canulae.

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Specializes in NICU.

Yeah, it sounds like a clot. Baby will be fine.

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Thank you very much, ladies. I really worried about this!

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

That is just a blood clot. It was attached to the end of the catheter. I see these often when I discontinue percutaneously placed central venous catheters but it can happen on any device that has been placed into a vein or artery. The body's natural mechanism is to maintain homeostasis and when you puncture a vessel (and in this case leave an indwelling medical device) the clotting cascade is activated as the body tries to stop the bleeding and plug the hole.

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Thank you very much for your reply, iluvivt! I feel so relieved now, after reading the comments here, you guys have no idea how much you've helped restoring my peace of mind! I am so grateful for all your help! I now feel blessed to have find this site! Best wishes to all of you!

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

It's just a clot... nothing to worry about!

Annie

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