The epidemiology of peripheral vein complications: evaluation of the efficiency of differing methods for the maintenance of catheter patency and thrombophlebitis prevention.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral vein catheter patency and infusion thrombophlebitis remains a significant problem in everyday clinical practice. The aim of the study was to investigate the epidemiology of peripheral vein complications and to evaluate three different methods for the maintenance of peripheral vein catheter patency and the prevention of vein thrombophlebitis.


METHODS
A total of 300 post-operative patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery were prospectively studied. Patients were divided into three groups: controls--catheters not flushed following drug administration; saline group--the catheters flushed with 3 mL of normal saline 0.9% after each catheter use; heparin group--the catheters flushed with 3 mL of 100-U/mL heparin in normal saline 0.9% after each catheter use.


RESULTS
Complications occurred in 36% of the patients and the incidence of thrombophlebitis was 8% and only 4% in the control group. In the normal saline group there was a significant increase in total complications and obstruction together with thrombophlebitis as compared with the control group. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrate that the control group had a significantly higher proportion of catheters without complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of normal saline solutions in post-operative patients thus should be avoided for catheter maintenance. In patients receiving low molecular weight heparin, no intravenous flushing should be used for preventing catheter obstruction or thrombophlebitis in order to reduce costs and nursing workload.
Myrianthefs
Pavlos
P
Athens University School of Nursing ICU, Department of Infection Control, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece. pavlos_myrianthefs@hotmail.com
Sifaki
Maria
M
Samara
Irini
I
Baltopoulos
George
G
D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000009:adverse effects; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D017985:Dalteparin