What it means
The hollow channel through the middle of a tube. In the body, narrowing of a vessel's lumen reduces blood flow, as with plaque in atherosclerosisath-er-oh-skluh-ROH-sisA buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) inside the walls of the arteries.ather/o fatty pastescler/o hard-osis conditionFull entry . In equipment, a central line may have one, two or three lumens, each a separate channel so that drugs that should not mix can run at the same time.
For the nurse
Label and flush each lumen of a multi-lumen catheter as policy directs, and check that drugs running in different lumens are compatible.
At a glance
| Also written | lumens, lumina |
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Related terms
catheter
A thin, flexible tube put into the body to drain fluid out or to put fluid or drugs in.
artery
A blood vessel that takes blood from the heart out to the body.
obstruction
A blockage in a passage of the body, such as an airway, the bowel, a blood vessel or a tube.
stenosis
Narrowing of a passage or opening in the body, such as a blood vessel, heart valve or the spinal canal.