Can we use a central line or a PICC line for injection?

Hospital policies will vary but at Hopkins we have several well defined policies.

They include:

• Standard PICC lines can not be used for IV injections
• Central lines can be injected by hand but not with power injectors. This policy is not a universal one
• For information purposes some sites allow power injection into central lines with a limited flow rate (2 cc/sec) or at a lower preset pressure rating on the injector
• Under no circumstances should PICCs be used with power injectors. They can shear or break.