Tunneled central venous catheters (CVC) are thin, flexible tubes (catheters) placed in a large vein. They deliver fluids and medicine into the vein and make it easy to get blood samples. The catheter enters through the chest wall and tunnels under the skin to a large vein near your heart. An anchoring cuff holds the catheter in place. A tunneled catheter can have more than one line and have clamps. Different companies make them, so they may look different than the one shown here, which is a Bard Power Hickman. CVC's are flushed with heparin or citrate to keep them from clotting, unless your care team says otherwise.

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Valved peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are thin, flexible tubes (catheters) placed in a large vein. They deliver fluids and medicine into the vein and make it easy to get blood samples. The catheter enters a large vein at or above the bend of your elbow, and is threaded through the vein until the tip reaches another large vein in your chest. Valved PICCs may have more than one line and do not have clamps. Different companies make them, so they may look different than the one shown here, which is a Bard Power PICC Solo. Valved PICCs are flushed with normal saline to keep them from clotting, unless your care team says otherwise.

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Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are thin, flexible tubes (catheters) placed in a large vein. They deliver fluids and medicine into the vein and make it easy to get blood samples. The catheter enters a large vein at or above the bend of your elbow, and is threaded through the vein until the tip reaches another large vein in your chest. PICCs may have more than one line and have clamps. Different companies make them, so they may look different than the one shown here, which is a Bard Power PICC. PICCs are flushed with heparin or citrate to keep them from clotting, unless your care team says otherwise.

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