PICC Lines for IBD
They say IBD is just a bathroom disease….. Well, you and I know different! It’s not a bathroom disease. In fact, I’d argue that the bathroom was only a small part of the disease. What most of the world doesn’t understand about Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis is that needing to be fed by TPN ( Total Parenteral Nutrition ) is very real and happens to many living with this disease.
But how does one get fed by TPN? TPN is done through a PICC line. Ok… But what’s a PICC line?
A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC or PIC line) is a form of intravenous access that can be used for a prolonged period of time (e.g. for long chemotherapy regimens, extended antibiotic therapy, or total parenteral nutrition). ~ Source Wikipedia
The following video shows how a PICC line is inserted into the body. The video was made by Genetic Disorders UK. I will warn you though that the video is a little graphical, so if you’re squeamish at the site of blood, this might not be the video for you.
Special thanks to Meg Johnson of The Front Butt YouTuber for providing this video. I’d also invite you to read Marisa Lauren Troy’s article on JournalingIBD.org, Picc Lines and Central Lines to get an even better understanding of how and why they are used.
