COMPARISON OF BLOOD-FLOW RATES AND HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE BETWEEN THE MAHURKAR CATHETER, THE TESIO TWIN CATHETER, AND THE ASH SPLIT CATH

The Ash Split Cath (Medcomp, Harleysville, PA) is a recently introduce d dual lumen permanent catheter designed to be placed through the inte rnal jugular vein into the superior vena cava by single venipuncture t echnique. The transcutaneous portion is a 14 French cylindrically shap ed catheter with D-shaped lumens and a Dacron (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) cuff. At the entrance to the jugular vein, the catheter splits into t wo separate D-shaped limbs that then merge into multiholed cylindrical tips in the vena cava. Split Caths (n = 10) have been placed in patie nts with end-stage renal disease and used for outpatient dialysis for approximately 2 months. Flow rates and hydraulic resistance have been compared with Mahurkar (Bard, Salt Lake City, UT) (n = 22) and Tesio ( Medcomp) (n = 17) catheters in the same unit. Average blood flow rates (Qb) were 295 +/- 42 (SD) for Ash Split Caths vs 279 +/- 38 and 300 /- 39 ml(3)/min for Mahurkar and Tesio catheters, respectively, and hy draulic resistances were 0.44 +/- 0.17, 0.52 +/- 0.15, and 0.56 +/- 0. 11 mmHg/ml/min, respectively (not significant). No Split Caths have be en removed for bleeding or flow complications. The Split Cath provides the simplicity of placement and removal of a single-bodied catheter w ith flow advantages of independent, cylindrical, multiholed tips.