HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Are PICC Lines Kept Under X-ray Imaging Safe For The Heart?

Posted on Wed, 6 Apr 2016

Question: A nail puncture wound has wrecked havoc in my life. A Picc nurse placed a picc line for more antibiotics in the weeks to come. I'm nervous about all this and had no health issues, very active,..,before this nail. Are Picc lines relatively safe, can they puncture your heart, cause heart attack,...I seem to have a slight cough and feel slight pressure on the left side and anxiety when laying down. I'm wondering if I should have tried to get out of the hospital and go to another one for a second opinion, but in my situation that seemed strange. An overview, potential complications or better understanding of Picc line safety and whether the xray confirming successful placement is reliable or can the xray reader make a mistake in reading the xray for correct placement.

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Injury to the heart unlikely.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome and thanks for your query.
I understand your concerns.
The PICC line is kept under Xray imaging .The tip goes as far as the main vein and does not enter the heart. There is hardly any danger of it injuring the heart and it does not cause a heart attack.
So relax and do not worry. Your feeling of cough, pressure and anxiety are stress related.
The doctor and the nursing staff would take good care of you and take all the precautions to avoid any complication.
Take Care

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar