Intraluminal instillation of urokinase and autologous plasma: a method to unblock occluded central venous ports.
BACKGROUND
Therapeutic use and effective function of recombinant urokinase (r-UK) for occluded ports need the presence of plasminogen.


METHODS
As a therapeutic proof of principle, we demonstrate that the use of r-UK and autologous plasma effectively reestablishes the function of occluded central venous ports (CVP) resistant to routine management of catheter occlusion. Five patients with occluded ports resistant to the routine management were treated.


RESULTS
All patients were successfully treated with thrombolytic therapy using intraluminal instillation of r-UK and autologous plasma.


CONCLUSIONS
Instillation of r-UK and autologous plasma is a safe and effective method for management of CVP occlusion.
Seifert
Georg
G
Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Charité--Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. georg.seifert@charite.de
Riess
Hanno
H
Seeger
Karl
K
Henze
Guenter
G
Borgmann
Anja
A
D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010958:Plasminogen; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator