How big do bubbles in an IV tube have to be to cause an embolism (I have a port in my chest)?

Question

I'm 17, I have a lot of health issues, and I get weekly hydration therapy and sometimes TPN, I can access my port myself, and I prefer to do it at home rather than sit in the hospital for three hours a week (which I do once a month for platelets and IViG). I've had so many different opinions given to me by nurses about what kind of bubbles in the IV tubing are dangerous. I do it by gravity, because the insurance wouldn't pay for a pump, and sometimes there will be bubbles in the line. Some of the really big bubbles hurt when they go in, but I've heard so many different things! Some nurses have told me it would take more than an entire line of air to cause an embolism, and some have told me to meticulously flick every single tiny bubble out of it. Anybody know???

Answer 1

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Answer 2

It has to be a fairly large amount - the entire IV tubing is about right (which is about 20cc/air).  There are small air bubbles in your blood, so a couple small extra ones won't hurt.

As another poster said, it is better to have the line be as bubble free as possible. My advice would be that before accessing the port, allow the line to run via gravity for a couple seconds until the bubbles have run out (into a wastebasket) so you have less after accessing your port.

Answer 3

About 20 cc's of air, but it is best to have a line that's bubble-free.  Bubbles can prevent fluid of any kind from running through the line properly.

Answer 4

It takes a fair amount of air to cause problems in people with healthy hearts.  IF, however, you have a connection between the right and left sides of your heart (called patent foramen ovale), small bubbles can pass to the systemic circulation, and cause strokes.

Without knowing anything about your heart, I can't say whether the small bubbles are a risk to you or not.  It never hurts to be as bubble-free as possible.