HEPARIN OR 0.9% SODIUM CHLORIDE TO MAINTAIN CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER PATENCY: A RANDOMISED TRIAL

BACKGROUND: Maintaining the lumen patency of Central venous catheters (CVCs)using low dose Heparin is recommended in many guidelines of CVC maintenance. This study is to compare the efficacy of low-dose Heparin 3ml (10U/ml) and 0.9% Sodium chloride (10ml) flush solutions to maintain Central venous catheter (CVC) lumen patency. METHODS: We studied 100 adult patients between March 2012 and August 2012 who required short-term CVC insertion to compare two flush solutions, Heparin and0.9% Sodium Chloride on catheter lumen patency. RESULTS: The crude catheter non patency was 4% (two lumens)in Heparin group and 8% (four lumens) in the Sodium Chloride group. There was no incidence of thrombocytopenia in both the study groups. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated no significant difference between Heparin and 0.9% Sodium Chloride flushes with regards to catheter patency in adult patients with short-term use of CVCs.