title: Initial clinical experience with a new heparin-coated chronic hemodialysis catheter.
abstract: In this paper we wish to report our clinical experience with a new heparin-coated dialysis catheter with a symmetric tip. Over a 16-month period, 60 heparin-coated Tal Palindrome catheters were placed in 57 patients. Catheter patency, catheter-related complications, and reasons for catheter removal were recorded. The patient's initial cause of end-stage renal disease, underlying diseases, and site of access were recorded as well. Patients were specifically followed for development of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Patient ages were 34-91 (average 66). Fifty-four percent of patients had a history of diabetes. Sixty catheters were placed for a total of 5353 catheter-days. The average catheter indwell time was 107 days (range of 2-381 days). Catheter-related infection occurred in 6 patients over the study period, with a rate of 1.12/1000 catheter-days. Bacteremia occurred in 3 patients with a rate of 0.56/1000 catheter-days. Six catheters were removed or exchanged due to malfunction. There was no incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Initial clinical experience with the heparin-coated Tal Palindrome hemodialysis catheter demonstrated safe, reliable use, and low infection rates.
authors.affiliation: Interventional Radiology, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut 06504, USA.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mojibian
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eliseo
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin