|
Hand pain cures It sounds like you might have developed an infection in the arm that was used for the arterial line. An arterial line is similar to an intravenous (IV) line, except that the catheter is inserted into an artery and, instead of being used to administer medication, is used to monitor blood pressure and obtain blood samples when these tasks need to be performed frequently. In addition, an arterial line is usually a bit more painful than an IV line.
However, most pain is usually felt immediately upon insertion and upon removal of the line. Insertion of the needle is of course expectedly painful, but once the catheter is in place there is not much awareness of it. On removal of the line you may experience some pain for a few days, particularly if the line was in for a long period of time.
In your case however, the pain has lasted for two weeks and seems to have spread, reaching your elbow. Bacterial infection is one of the risks of using arterial lines. Although the equipment used is usually sterile, when it has been used for a long time (3 weeks in your case), it may get contaminated. Besides, bacteria from the skin can sometimes enter the body through the insertion site. You should get your arm examined by a doctor. If there is a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe appropriate medication.
|
