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Tissued cannula

I have a question, i've been reading around and can't seem to get a straight answer!!! Tissued cannulas..how do they happen, obviously it's not in the vein, however a patient today had one, and it was so swollen and the nurse said it was fluid from the drip...and i can't understand or get how this happened, has fluid simply collected in the tissue causing it to swell?

how can you prevent/treat this?

Reply 1

Daveo

16

anna_spanner89

I have a question, i've been reading around and can't seem to get a straight answer!!! Tissued cannulas..how do they happen, obviously it's not in the vein, however a patient today had one, and it was so swollen and the nurse said it was fluid from the drip...and i can't understand or get how this happened, has fluid simply collected in the tissue causing it to swell?

how can you prevent/treat this?

You bloody well tell me! :mad:

Reply 2

anna_spanner89

OP

Daveo

You bloody well tell me! :mad:

i don't know!!! i'm only young! :redface:

Reply 3

sunset_sky

2

It can be caused by the patient moving around, especially if the canulla is in an awkward position like the crook of the elbow. Things like washing and dressing may oull the canulla out of the vein so fluid collects in the surrounding tissue instead of entering the vein if that makes sense? To prevent it the main things you can do is use protective dressings and remind patients to be careful. Also flushing lines regularly can help stop this. Any of that help at all? :biggrin:

Reply 4

anna_spanner89

OP

sunset_sky

It can be caused by the patient moving around, especially if the canulla is in an awkward position like the crook of the elbow. Things like washing and dressing may oull the canulla out of the vein so fluid collects in the surrounding tissue instead of entering the vein if that makes sense? To prevent it the main things you can do is use protective dressings and remind patients to be careful. Also flushing lines regularly can help stop this. Any of that help at all? :biggrin:

really? im really worried i caused it now, as i was washing around it, and im really stressed i may have moved it :s-smilie:

making me a god awful person...

how about treatment once the fluid goes in?

Reply 5

sunset_sky

2

Oh don't worry about it! Happens alot, especially if the patient is older or has small veins sometimes there isn't really a cause. If I think someone is at higher risk of tissuing I use a small bandage over the dresssing and cannula to protect it a bit more but sometimes it just can't be helped.

You're not awful don't worry about it! Once the fluid is in the body will move it from the area itself the reason it looks swollen is becasue a large volume of fluid is being pushed into the small spaces between the cells in the area. the body will just distribute the fluid itself. :biggrin:

Reply 6

Daveo

16

"mr x's cannula has tissued" are words I really don't enjoy hearing!

People tend to say a cannula has tissued when it is no longer working for some reason. Quite often fluid may have accumulated around the site making it look swollen. This fluid is reabsorbed quite quickly.

Do everything you can to prevent it!

Reply 7

wideawake

anna_spanner89

really? im really worried i caused it now, as i was washing around it, and im really stressed i may have moved it :s-smilie:

making me a god awful person...

how about treatment once the fluid goes in?

How does washing a person, making them more comfortable, and possibly in doing so you accidently knock the cannula, how does that make you a "god awful person"? It doesn't. :rolleyes:

Unless the person has **** veins and the HO asked to re-site it might call you much worse... Or you are the patient who has to endure another 10 failed attempts at being cannulated by various people.

Reply 8

davey jones

1

elderly wards are a nightmare. i was told once its caused by vasoconstriction but i am not wholly convinced.

Reply 9

anna_spanner89

OP

wideawake

How does washing a person, making them more comfortable, and possibly in doing so you accidently knock the cannula, how does that make you a "god awful person"? It doesn't. :rolleyes:

Unless the person has **** veins and the HO asked to re-site it might call you much worse... Or you are the patient who has to endure another 10 failed attempts at being cannulated by various people.

I'm very paranoid about washing patients atm, especially the elderly as their skin is so thin, it's my worst fear that i'm hurting them by being too rough

Reply 10

davey jones

1

are you washing them with brillo pads?

Reply 11

wideawake

anna_spanner89

I'm very paranoid about washing patients atm, especially the elderly as their skin is so thin, it's my worst fear that i'm hurting them by being too rough

Just remember to give them regular mouthcare and they will forgive almost anything. That seems to get horribly neglected but is such an important thing for a person unable to manage their own personal care.

Reply 12

anna_spanner89

OP

wideawake

Just remember to give them regular mouthcare and they will forgive almost anything. That seems to get horribly neglected but is such an important thing for a person unable to manage their own personal care.

oh we do oral care along with the daily washes, im fine doing that

Reply 13

anna_spanner89

OP

davey jones

are you washing them with brillo pads?

nothing wrong with the elderly enjoying exfoiliation

:awesome:

Reply 14

wideawake

anna_spanner89

oh we do oral care along with the daily washes, im fine doing that

What I mean is when it is forgotten about altogether or when you have someone mouthbreathing a lot and so need mouth care more frequently than once daily. It is good though that you do it and I am sure is appreciated by the patients. I've seen it neglected far too much :frown:

Reply 15

visesh

17

Daveo

"mr x's cannula has tissued" are words I really don't enjoy hearing!

People tend to say a cannula has tissued when it is no longer working for some reason. Quite often fluid may have accumulated around the site making it look swollen. This fluid is reabsorbed quite quickly.

Do everything you can to prevent it!

I had a cannula tissue after about 5 hours. Pt was rather hypotensive, tachycardic and had a low urine output, so it was decided that he needed 2 green lines. I take a (long) while putting them in, with much difficulty. The fact that he was old, bruised and dry didn't help matters.

I was not impressed when one of them decided to tissue :mad:

Thankfully, he was in a more stable state by then.

Reply 16

Sasscy

My cannula tissued in hospital, I pointed it out and the doctor noticed the cannula had looped and was sticking out. He told the nurse he didn't have any free staff to change it so "push it back in" this resulted in 3 weeks in isolation with MRSA, cellulitis & phlebitis. Needless to say, a tissued cannula is common but must be picked up on and changed to another site immediately.

Tissued cannula

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