An in vivo method for the evaluation of catheter thrombogenicity.

A new method has been developed to evaluate the relative thrombogenicity of vascular catheters. The technique provides a means to quantitatively differentiate between catheters made from different polymeric materials. Autologous In-111 labeled platelets were infused into a dog model and catheters were then inserted into the external jugular vein of the dog. The neck region was scanned using gamma camera imaging. Comparisons between catheter materials were made using computer generated uptake slopes during the first 40 min of the scan. In addition to scintigraphy, visual assessment of thrombus deposition, thrombus weight, platelet deposition, and scanning electron microscopy were used to validate the technique. Poly(vinyl chloride), polyurethane, heparinized polyurethane, and silicone catheter materials were tested. It was found that heparinized polyurethane was the least thrombogenic of all materials evaluated.