At a glance
- DevicesPICC lines, ports, permacaths, Hickman
- PlacementImage-guided, outpatient
- UseChemo, IV nutrition, dialysis, transfusions
- RecoveryHome within hours
Some conditions require frequent access to a blood vessel — intravenous medication or nutrition, chemotherapy, dialysis, or regular transfusions. Repeated needle punctures damage veins over time, so interventional radiologists place long-term vascular access devices that protect your veins while making every treatment easier.
Devices we place
- PICC lines — catheters for temporary but long-term use, from several weeks to several months
- Chest and arm ports — port catheters implanted completely under the skin for very long-term or permanent use
- Permacaths — long-term tunneled catheters for dialysis patients
- Hickman catheters — long-term catheters for chemotherapy or IV medication and nutrition
Image-guided precision
Placement is performed in RMI’s interventional suite using ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance — precise positioning without general anesthesia or a hospital stay. Most patients return home within a few hours of the procedure with a device that makes their ongoing treatment dramatically simpler.