After we have put in a Hickman line

A Hickman^® line is a long, thin and flexible plastic tube. It is a type of central line (tube into a central blood vessel of the chest). We use the line to give you medicines or take blood samples.

What happens after the procedure

After we have put in a Hickman line, you need to rest in the interventional radiology (IR) department for 2 to 4 hours. This is to make sure that there are no problems.

An IR nurse explains when you can eat, drink and move around after your procedure. If all your checks are fine, you can go home.

When you go home

Here is some guidance to help you when you go home after having a Hickman line inserted.

Looking after your Hickman line

Here is some guidance about how to look after your Hickman line.

Having a shower

You need to use a waterproof dressing over the tubing. This usually keeps it dry when you have a shower.

We give you some dressings and explain how to use them. You generally need a dressing for 2 weeks after the procedure. 

After 2 weeks, the area where we put in the Hickman line is likely to have fully healed. You should then no longer need to wear any dressings.

When you have a shower, it is still important to keep the area where the line exits the skin in the chest dry. This is to prevent the line from getting infected. Nurses can give you temporary waterproof dressings to cover this area when having a shower.

Having a bath

It is best not to allow the Hickman line to go underwater. This is because there is a risk of infecting your line. However, it is fine to have a shallow bath and keep the line out of the water.

Sports and leisure activities

We strongly recommend that you avoid swimming and having saunas. Most other activities are fine, provided that you are careful not to knock the Hickman line out of position or accidentally pull it out.

How to keep your Hickman line working

Here is some guidance to keep your Hickman line working properly:

• We recommend that each lumen (smaller tube outside the body) is flushed (cleansed) once a week with saline. This is a mixture of salt and pure water. Syringing saline into each lumen prevents it from getting blocked.
• The plastic bungs on the ends of the line need to be changed every week.

This is done in the ward or day unit where you have your treatment. The day unit or ward nurses can teach you, a family member or friend how to flush your line at home, if needed.

Another option is for a district nurse to visit you at home, change the dressing and flush the line. This is especially useful during any weeks when you cannot come to the hospital. Please speak with your nurse specialist on the ward or day unit to arrange a visit from a district nurse.

When to get help

You need to look for any signs of serious infection. As the Hickman line is in a large vein close to your heart, it is important to treat any infection as soon as possible.

Removing the Hickman line

When you no longer need the Hickman line, we remove it in the interventional radiology (IR) department. The nurse or doctor doing the procedure explains if any preparation is needed.

Removing a Hickman line is usually a quick procedure, compared with putting in a Hickman line. You:

• have a local anaesthetic medicine only to make the area numb
• stay awake for the procedure
• do not need any stitches

Useful information and support

The organisations listed in this section can give you more information and support if you are having a Hickman line.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Phone: 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm)
Website: macmillan.org.uk

Cancer Research UK

Nurse helpline: 0808 800 4040 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Website: cancerresearchuk.org