Catheter Stability
Catheter Stability - Related Videos
11:39
Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion
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2023
Source: Madeline Lassche, MSNEd, RN and Katie Baraki, MSN, RN, College of Nursing, University of Utah, UT The purpose of peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) insertion is to infuse medications, perform intravenous (IV) fluid therapy, or inject radioactive tracers for special examination procedures. Placing a PIV is an invasive procedure and requires the use of an aseptic, no-touch technique. Common IV venipuncture sites are the arms and hands in adults and the feet in children. According to...
10:45
Central Venous Catheter Insertion: Femoral Vein
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2023
Source: James W Bonz, MD, Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA Central venous access is necessary in a multitude of clinical situations, including vascular access, vasopressor and caustic medication delivery, central venous pressure monitoring, volume resuscitation, total parental nutrition, hemodialysis, and frequent phlebotomy. There are three veins in the body that are accessed for central venous cannulation: the internal jugular, the subclavian, and the...
03:18
Nuclear Stability
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2020
Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters. To hold positively charged protons together in the...
02:51
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection in a Mouse Model
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2026
Source: Conover, M. S., et al., J. Establishment and Characterization of UTI and CAUTI in a Mouse Model. J. Vis. Exp. (2015)This video demonstrates the procedure for assembling and implanting a transurethral catheter in a female mouse, followed by bacterial inoculation to establish catheter-associated urinary tract infection and investigate biofilm-mediated host-pathogen interactions.
01:53
RNA Stability
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2019
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
FAQs
Catheter stability depends on how insertion depth, anatomical fit, external securement, and line alignment work together. An appropriate depth and fit help maintain the catheter’s intended position, while stabilization devices and dressings limit movement at the external site. Alignment also matters because bending, tension, or pulling can promote migration and interfere with continued function during movement or routine care.
Movement can transmit mechanical forces along the catheter, causing migration, bending, or tension at the insertion site and along the line. These changes may reduce patency, meaning the catheter remains open for intended flow, or contribute to leakage and tissue trauma. Maintaining suitable alignment and external support helps limit these forces and promotes more consistent delivery, drainage, or monitoring.
External securement helps preserve the catheter’s position while also limiting bending, tension, and unwanted migration. Stabilization devices, dressings, and appropriate line alignment therefore support several functions at once: they help maintain patency, reduce leakage, and protect surrounding tissue from mechanical stress. Their value extends beyond holding the catheter in place because stability affects the reliability and safety of treatment.
Assessment can consider whether the catheter remains at the intended insertion depth, whether its position and alignment have changed, and whether it remains patent and functional. Clinicians can also look for effects associated with instability, including migration, bending, tension, leakage, or reduced performance. This approach connects visible mechanical changes with the catheter’s ability to support treatment safely.
Stability is important whenever an indwelling catheter must continue delivering fluids, draining material, monitoring a condition, or providing vascular access. In each setting, movement or displacement can undermine the catheter’s intended role. Attention to securement, anatomical fit, insertion depth, and line alignment helps preserve reliable function throughout treatment, patient movement, and routine care.
Maintaining stability can help reduce complications associated with catheter movement or loss of function, including dislodgement, occlusion, leakage, infection risk, and tissue trauma. The benefit comes from limiting migration, bending, and tension while preserving correct positioning and patency. Consequently, stability supports safer catheter management and improves the consistency of procedures involving delivery, drainage, monitoring, or vascular access.