Hep-lock?

theaustins05 · March 2011

What is a hep-lock? I hate needles & IV's horribly and I have heard of this as an alternative but have no idea what it entails or even if my hospital provides them as an alternative. TIA

CocoBrynne · March 2011

I do too! From my understanding a hep lock is inserted like an iv only instead of a needle it's a little plastic tube that they put under your skin. At my hospital they aren't mandatory and even if they say they are they can't force you to get one if you refuse it which I fully plan to.

cros8380 · March 2011

From answers.com;

A small tube connected to a catheter in a vein in the arm for easy access. It is an alternative in some cases to using an IV. Its called heplock because of the order of medicating using it which is saline, medication, saline then heparin. The final heparin dose being introduced to prevent blood clots in the line should more medication be needed later. Generally a saline lock is used for lines in the arm but it is sometimes refered to as a heplock for historical reasons.

Heparin is used to prevent blood clots either before surgury or if there are idications that the patient has blood clots forming in the veins arteries or lungs. Hep-Lock is a registered trademark for a brand of porcine heparin solution produced by Baxter. Porcine (from pigs) heparine can also be purchased without the brand name

So, essentially, it's the needle part of the IV, with a little tubing, pinched off. It makes getting an IV faster (if needed) since the needle is already in your arm/hand (if you're going to get an IV or Hep-lock, I recommend getting it anywhere other than your had, since you will want to be able to get on all four's and can't do that with a needle in your hand!) Talk to your DR/MW about whether or not this is even necessary. My MW let me go without one...

happyhoopla · March 2011

It's the exact same thing as an IV, except that there isn't fluid constantly flowing through it. With both, a small catheter with a needle in it is inserted under the skin and into a vein. Once it is in the correct place, the needle is withdrawn, leaving the small catheter in place. This is then secure with tape to stay in place. With a hep-lock, the end has a port on it where fluids or medications can quickly be hooked up. With a continuous IV, the tubing is hooked up to the end and fluid flows in. The needle is NOT left in place with either.

theaustins05 · March 2011

I think I'm beginning to understand what the heplock is! I think I have had one before. The needle goes in and there is a tube that they can plug the different meds into if need be.

madhatter2003 · March 2011

Yep, it's just a line left in your arm but not hooked up. If you do get one, ask for it in your forearm rather than hand. It makes moving around, holding the squat bar, etc easier.

kattyleigh · March 2011

Girls! This post comes up a lot! A Hep Lock IS an IV. It is nothing different. It is just an IV access to a vein that is literally "locked off" with heparin or often saline (see PP's definition) so Drs and RNs have the ability to administer life saving fluids or blood in case of emergency. It actually is an IV (inserted exactly the same, same exact supplies) except no fluids are actively flowing in and no IV pole to drag around. When us RNs refer to it when discussing patients, we say, "is that IV hep locked?".

KLB0685 · March 2011

This exactly.

Here is a picture.

https://pregnancy.about.com/od/laborbasics/g/salinelock.htm

honkytonk_kid · March 2011

hep lock:

It IS an IV, but is not connected to tubing, and no fluid is running.

The needle is only used to puncture skin/vein, then flexible plastic tubing is inserted into your vein using the needle as a guide, and the NEEDLE IS REMOVED. There is a short length of tubing that is taped down, and can be attached to tubing to give you fluid, meds, etc, as needed.

If you don't want venous access at all, that's one thing, but don't be afraid of having a needle in your arm for hours and hours- it's removed once the tubing is in place. The needle stick hurts, but the hep lock should not cause you lasting discomfort! Definitely ask for it to be put in your non-dominant forearm (instead of hand) and taped down well so that its out of your way!

CNAMamaof2 · March 2011

As many others have said a Hep-lock i is an IV. FYI, many places do not use Hep-locks, the use capped IV's which is the same thing as a Hep-lock, but it has been flushed with saline instead of heparin. You are safer having an IV, a Hep-lock will introduce a blood thinning medication into your system. There have been incidence of patients who have received small doses of heparin and then having clotting problems. After having a baby, where your body is going to bleed a significant amount the last thing you want to do is give your body something that could interfere with the clotting process.

ZacksBride · March 2011

honkytonk_kid:

hep lock:

It IS an IV, but is not connected to tubing, and no fluid is running.

The needle is only used to puncture skin/vein, then flexible plastic tubing is inserted into your vein using the needle as a guide, and the NEEDLE IS REMOVED. There is a short length of tubing that is taped down, and can be attached to tubing to give you fluid, meds, etc, as needed.

If you don't want venous access at all, that's one thing, but don't be afraid of having a needle in your arm for hours and hours- it's removed once the tubing is in place. The needle stick hurts, but the hep lock should not cause you lasting discomfort! Definitely ask for it to be put in your non-dominant forearm (instead of hand) and taped down well so that its out of your way!

I would just add that that amount of tape seems a little excessive and a hep locked iv does not need to be that obtrusive.

Laurie12820 · March 2011

IVs totally freaked me out. I opted for a hep-lock so that I wasn't tethered to the IV fluids/pole all labor long. They gave me a bag of fluids when I came in and then they took me off. I was good about eating ice chips and keeping myself hydrated so I wasn't put back on until after delivery. They removed me hep-lock the next day.

theaustins05 · March 2011

ZacksBride:
honkytonk_kid:

hep lock:

It IS an IV, but is not connected to tubing, and no fluid is running.

The needle is only used to puncture skin/vein, then flexible plastic tubing is inserted into your vein using the needle as a guide, and the NEEDLE IS REMOVED. There is a short length of tubing that is taped down, and can be attached to tubing to give you fluid, meds, etc, as needed.

If you don't want venous access at all, that's one thing, but don't be afraid of having a needle in your arm for hours and hours- it's removed once the tubing is in place. The needle stick hurts, but the hep lock should not cause you lasting discomfort! Definitely ask for it to be put in your non-dominant forearm (instead of hand) and taped down well so that its out of your way!

I would just add that that amount of tape seems a little excessive and a hep locked iv does not need to be that obtrusive.

The one in the pic is huge, I have had one before when I went to the ER and it was much smaller, so I'm pretty sure I have an idea of what I'm asking for now.

laurasuzanne2006 · March 2011

It's just an IV with no fluids running...

honkytonk_kid · March 2011

ZacksBride:
honkytonk_kid:

hep lock:

It IS an IV, but is not connected to tubing, and no fluid is running.

The needle is only used to puncture skin/vein, then flexible plastic tubing is inserted into your vein using the needle as a guide, and the NEEDLE IS REMOVED. There is a short length of tubing that is taped down, and can be attached to tubing to give you fluid, meds, etc, as needed.

If you don't want venous access at all, that's one thing, but don't be afraid of having a needle in your arm for hours and hours- it's removed once the tubing is in place. The needle stick hurts, but the hep lock should not cause you lasting discomfort! Definitely ask for it to be put in your non-dominant forearm (instead of hand) and taped down well so that its out of your way!

I would just add that that amount of tape seems a little excessive and a hep locked iv does not need to be that obtrusive.

Lol- I totally agree, that one is huge, but it was the best pic I could find on google images!

When I put one in I put it in the forearm, and use 3 pieces of tape- 2 crossed over the insertion site and one of the loop, so it doesn't get caught on anything.

Jodiethelen · March 2011

Hep-lock is really a misnomer. Nurses used to push heparin and then quickly "lock" the IV so that no blood clotted in the tiny tube in your vein. In most hospitals, Heparin is no longer used, just saline, so it should really be called a "saline-lock".

But a "hep-lock" saves time in an emergency because some people are "hard sticks" (meaning putting an IV takes some time/difficult to find a vein). If your bleeding profusely and no one can get an IV in place, you are in grave danger. I am a big fan of a "hep-lock" as a safe alternative to a running IV. Ask to have it placed in the non-dominate forearm for sure. Less painful and not near a joint to interfere with movement. Trust me, you won't even know its there when your feeling contractions.

TheQuietGrrrl · March 2011

Whoever said start the hep/saline lock (a nurse will understand, whichever term you use) higher up on the forearm on the non-dominant hand, this is a good idea.

I'm same way, never had wrist IV's at all, terrified of needles and blood draws. I even made note of it in my birth plan. I decided on it so if there was an emergency where one was needed, I didn't have to deal with a nurse stabbing into collapsed, dehydrated veins 5 or 6 times, or even worse, going to some of the more "exotic" locations for an IV. Triage nurse was super nice and suggested starting a few inches above the wrist. I also had them tape a wipe cloth over it so I didn't have to see that raised looking spike under my skin. Silly, but it worked.

And FWIW, I had my heplock for the two hours after vag birth to ensure I was stable and not bleeding to death, then they took it out by the time I left the room. Never reinserted.

As far as that picture. That's one sloppy tape job.

tokenhoser · March 2011

It can be a good idea to get it placed earlier (vs. as late as possible) in labour if you're hard to stick, as the longer you go without, the more likely you are to be somewhat dehydrated... which makes it even harder to stick you. It's easier to find a vein when they're fatter.

x0stephanie · March 2011

CocoBrynne:
I do too! From my understanding a hep lock is inserted like an iv only instead of a needle it's a little plastic tube that they put under your skin. At my hospital they aren't mandatory and even if they say they are they can't force you to get one if you refuse it which I fully plan to.

You do know that even with a regular IV they remove the needle, right? All thats left is a tiny plastic tube (cannula)

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