Venous Access

If you need IV access for more than just a few days, your doctor will recommend that you have something more advanced than a simple IV that is placed in the arm. The Interventional Radiologists of South Texas Radiology can safely place a large variety of venous access devices depending on your needs. 

• If you need chemotherapy, your doctor might recommend a Venous Access Port, or Port for short, be placed. 
• If you need temporary dialysis (or have another situation where a lot of blood needs to be removed and replaced...like plasmapheresis or stem cell harvest) your doctor might recommend a non-tunneled hemodialysis catheter (frequently called a Quinton catheter...a brand name like calling a facial tissue a Kleenex) 
• If you need long-term dialysis your doctor might recommend a tunneled hemodialysis catheter (frequently called a Permcath...also a brand name).
• If you need stable IV access for one or several weeks, your doctor might recommend a Peripherally Inserted Central Cathater (PICC) or a tunneled central line (aka Hickman or Groshong or Broviac....you guessed it, more brand names).