title: Safety and Complications of Double-Lumen Tunnelled Cuffed Central Venous Dialysis Catheters: Clinical and radiological perspective from a tertiary centre in Oman.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the technical success, safety and immediate and delayed complications of double-lumen tunnelled cuffed central venous catheters (TVCs) at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study took place between January 2012 and October 2013. The clinical records and radiological data of all patients who underwent ultrasound- and fluoroscopy-guided TVC placement at SQUH during the study period were reviewed. Demographic data and information regarding catheter placement, technical success and peri- and post-procedure complications (such as catheter-related infections or thrombosis) were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 204 TVCs were placed in 161 patients. Of these, 68 were female (42.2%) and 93 were male (57.8%). The mean age of the patients was 54.4 ± 17.3 years. The most common reason for catheter placement was the initiation of dialysis (63.4%). A total of 203 procedures were technically successful (99.5%). The right internal jugular vein was the most common site of catheter placement (74.9%). Mild haemorrhage which resolved spontaneously occurred in 11 cases (5.4%). No other complications were observed. Subsequent follow-up data was available for 132 catheters (65.0%); of these, thrombosis-related catheter malfunction was observed in 22 cases (16.7%) and catheter-related infection in 29 cases (22.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiological-guided placement of tunnelled haemodialysis catheters can be performed safely with excellent technical success. The success rate of catheter insertion at SQUH was favourable in comparison with other studies reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology & Molecular Imaging, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Rana S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology & Molecular Imaging, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Anupam K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kakaria
authors.affiliation: Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Saif A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Saja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology & Molecular Imaging, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Rashid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al-Sukaiti
authors.affiliation: Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Dawood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Al-Riyami
authors.affiliation: Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Yasser W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Al-Mula Abed
keywords: Catheter-Related Infections; Central Venous Catheters; Interventional Radiology; Oman; Renal Dialysis; Thrombosis