Why it's done

A PICC line is used to deliver medications and other treatments directly to the large central veins near your heart.

Your doctor might recommend a PICC line if your treatment plan requires frequent needle sticks for medicine or blood draws. A PICC line is usually intended to be temporary and might be an option if your treatment is expected to last up to several weeks.

A PICC line is commonly recommended for:

• Cancer treatments. Medicines that are infused through a vein, such as some chemotherapy and targeted therapy drugs, can be delivered through a PICC line.
• Liquid nutrition (total parenteral nutrition). If your body can't process nutrients from food because of digestive system problems, you may need a PICC line for receiving liquid nutrition.
• Infection treatments. Antibiotics and antifungal medicines can be given through a PICC line for serious infections.
• Other medications. Some medicines can irritate the small veins, and giving these treatments through the PICC line reduces that risk. The larger veins in your chest carry more blood, so the medicines are diluted much faster, reducing the risk of injury to the veins.

Once your PICC line is in place, it can be used for other things, too, such as blood draws, blood transfusions and receiving contrast material before an imaging test.