FILLING HEMODIALYSIS CATHETERS IN THE INTERDIALYTIC PERIOD - HEPARIN VERSUS CITRATE VERSUS POLYGELINE - A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY

Heparin and saline are commonly used to fill hemodialysis central veno us catheters to prevent their thrombosis during the interdialytic peri od. The purpose of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate whe ther replacing heparin with citrate or polygeline could ensure satisfa ctory catheter function without exposing patients to the, risk of syst emic heparinization. Thirty end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients wi th subclavian or jugular single lumen catheters as temporary vascular access for hemodialysis were enrolled. After the insertion of the cath eters, the patients were randomly assigned to one of the following thr ee filling groups: Group A, heparin; Group B, citrate; Group C, polyge line. Before each dialysis, the filling solution was aspirated and clo t volume, if present, was measured. The catheter usage time and the cl ot volume were 23 +/- 24 days and 0.052 +/- 0.035 ml in Group A, 51 +/ - 36 days and 0.059 +/- 0.032 ml in Group B, and 32 +/- 10 days and 0. 056 +/- 0.038 ml in Group C, respectively. Our results indicate that c itrate or polygeline can replace heparin effectively as a filling solu tion for single lumen temporary hemodialysis catheters.