Hickman line
Hickman line
A Hickman line (pronounced: hick-man line) is a type of central venous catheter often used for the administration of chemotherapy or other medications, as well as for the withdrawal of blood for analysis.
Etymology
The Hickman line is named after Dr. Robert O. Hickman, a pediatric nephrologist at the Seattle Children's Hospital, who developed the catheter in 1979.
Description
A Hickman line is a silicone tube that is inserted into a large vein in the chest. It has one or two lumens (channels) that end in the superior vena cava, just above the heart. The other end of the catheter exits the body through a small hole in the chest wall and is secured with a cuff that helps to prevent infection.
Usage
Hickman lines are used when treatment requires frequent or continuous access to the bloodstream over a long period. They are commonly used in oncology (cancer treatment) and hematology (blood disease treatment).
Related Terms
- Central venous catheter: A tube placed into a patient's large vein, typically in the neck, chest, or groin.
- Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to treat diseases such as cancer.
- Superior vena cava: The large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body into the heart's right atrium.
- Oncology: The study and treatment of tumors.
- Hematology: The study of the nature, function, and diseases of the blood and of blood-forming organs.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hickman line
- Wikipedia's article - Hickman line
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