Central venous line (CVL) removal: Caring for your child at home after the procedure

Your child has had a CVL removal from either their internal jugular or femoral vein. The information on this page explains how to care for your child at home after the procedure, and when to call for help.

Discharge from the hospital

Most children who have a CVL removal go home two hours after the procedure. Some children remain in the hospital to receive additional treatment. The length of time your child remains at the hospital differs depending on the reason for the removal.

Dressing Care

• The original dressing should be left in place for at least 48 hours, as long as it is not soiled or loose. If the dressing becomes soiled or loose, it must be changed.
• After 48 hours, all dressings can be removed if the site has scabbed underneath. It is best to keep the wound covered with gauze or a bandage for longer than 48 hours if it has not yet scabbed over. If unsure, please contact your child’s doctor or nurse.
• It is normal to see dry blood on the dressing. However, there should be no active bleeding at the site where the CVL was removed. If there is, contact the Vascular Access Service resource nurse.

Bathing

Your child may shower or take a bath 48 hours after the CVL is removed. However, it is important to keep the dressings and CVL site as dry as possible for the first 48 hours after the CVL is removed. If the dressings get wet during this time, replace them with new ones. You can remove all dressings after 48 hours if the site has scabbed underneath. Once the dressings are removed, it is OK to get the CVL site wet.

Meals

If your child is feeling well enough after the anaesthetic, they can return to eating what they normally eat. It is also important to encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids for 48 hours after the procedure.

Pain relief

If needed, give your child acetaminophen for pain. Do not give your child any medicines that will thin the blood, such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or ibuprofen, without checking with a nurse or your child's doctor first.

Activity

After the CVL removal, your child will need to be quiet, stay home from school or day care, and avoid physical activity for the first 48 hours. Your child may return to school 24 hours after the CVL removal with restricted activity. Your child should avoid swimming and all other major activities for two weeks. These include:

• contact sports
• gymnastics
• bicycle riding
• rollerblading
• hockey
• soccer
• skiing
• horseback riding

When to see a doctor

Call your child's doctor or go to the nearest Emergency Department right away if your child has any of the following:

• A fever greater than 38°C (100.4°F)
• Pain or discomfort requiring acetaminophen after 48 hours
• A noticeable increase in bright red blood around the site of the old CVL
• Leakage or drainage at the site of the old CVL
• Difficulty breathing
• Noticeable swelling or bruising at the site of the old CVL

At SickKids

At SickKids, the interventional radiologists work in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging – Division of Image Guided Therapy (IGT). You can call and speak to the Vascular Access Service resource nurse at (416) 813-6986 during working hours, or leave a message with the Vascular Access Team. If you have concerns and it is after working hours, please call The Hospital for Sick Children switchboard at 416-813-7500 and ask them to page your child’s doctor on call, or go to the nearest Emergency Department.