PURPOSE: There are limited prospective data on whether the method of flushing affects the complication rate of tunnelled central venous catheters (CVCs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a 25-month period, 203 pediatric patients who had newly placed Broviac-Hickman CVCs were randomly assigned to standard flushing with heparin solution or to experimental flushing with normal saline via a positive-pressure cap. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-one complications were recorded among 75,249 CVC-days (2.94 per 1,000 CVC-days). A higher incidence of CVC occlusion (83 v 41 episodes; P = .0002) and bacteremia (24 v 9; P = .01) were found in the experimental arm. The cumulative probability of developing at least one CVC complication was higher in the experimental arm than in the standard arm (65.1% [95% CI, 55% to 75%] v 43.8% [95% CI, 34% to 54%], respectively; P = .01). No difference was found in either the cause or the frequency of premature removal of CVCs between the two study arms. After a median follow-up of 360 days (range, 4 to 1,073), CVC survival was similar: 77% (95% CI, 66% to 84%) for the experimental arm and 69% (95% CI, 53% to 80%) for the standard arm (P = .7). The factors associated with the occurrence of CVC complication were a diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma, double-lumen CVC, and experimental flushing. The only factor significantly associated with premature removal of a CVC was a diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma (hazard rate, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.7). CONCLUSION: An increased complication rate was found with normal saline flushing, but additional investigation is warranted to clarify whether it is related to saline use or to once-a-week flushing.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: There are limited prospective data on whether the method of flushing affects the complication rate of tunnelled central venous catheters (CVCs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a 25-month period, 203 pediatric patients who had newly placed Broviac-Hickman CVCs were randomly assigned to standard flushing with heparin solution or to experimental flushing with normal saline via a positive-pressure cap. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-one complications were recorded among 75,249 CVC-days (2.94 per 1,000 CVC-days). A higher incidence of CVC occlusion (83 v 41 episodes; P = .0002) and bacteremia (24 v 9; P = .01) were found in the experimental arm. The cumulative probability of developing at least one CVC complication was higher in the experimental arm than in the standard arm (65.1% [95% CI, 55% to 75%] v 43.8% [95% CI, 34% to 54%], respectively; P = .01). No difference was found in either the cause or the frequency of premature removal of CVCs between the two study arms. After a median follow-up of 360 days (range, 4 to 1,073), CVC survival was similar: 77% (95% CI, 66% to 84%) for the experimental arm and 69% (95% CI, 53% to 80%) for the standard arm (P = .7). The factors associated with the occurrence of CVC complication were a diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma, double-lumen CVC, and experimental flushing. The only factor significantly associated with premature removal of a CVC was a diagnosis of leukemia/lymphoma (hazard rate, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.7). CONCLUSION: An increased complication rate was found with normal saline flushing, but additional investigation is warranted to clarify whether it is related to saline use or to once-a-week flushing.
Authors: Mark L Kayton; Edward G Garmey; Nicole M Ishill; Nai-Kong V Cheung; Brian H Kushner; Kim Kramer; Shakeel Modak; Carol Rossetto; Courtney Hennelly; Melissa Parra Doyle; Shoshana Rosenberg; Olga Santoro; Michael P La Quaglia Journal: J Pediatr Surg Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 2.545
Authors: Jacquelyn L Baskin; Ulrike Reiss; Judith A Wilimas; Monika L Metzger; Raul C Ribeiro; Ching-Hon Pui; Scott C Howard Journal: Haematologica Date: 2011-12-16 Impact factor: 9.941
Authors: Sara-Jane N Onyeama; Sheila J Hanson; Mahua Dasgupta; Raymond G Hoffmann; Edward Vincent S Faustino Journal: Pediatr Crit Care Med Date: 2016-08 Impact factor: 3.624
Authors: Michael C Barbour; Patrick M McGah; Chin H Ng; Alicia M Clark; Kenneth W Gow; Alberto Aliseda Journal: ASAIO J Date: 2015 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 2.872