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Titanium Catheter Tip for Peritoneovenous Shunts
Author(s) -
Franco Dominique,
Labianca Michele,
Smadja Claude,
Fragoso José,
Halabi Samer
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1988.tb01527.x
Subject(s) - peritoneovenous shunt , medicine , shunt (medical) , ascites , catheter , surgery , shunting , complication , occlusion , cirrhosis
Early obstruction of the venous tubing is a frequent complication after peritoneovenous (PV) shunting for ascites in cirrhosis and results in a high incidence of shunt failure. A titanium catheter tip, developed because of this material's thromboresistance, was employed in 13 consecutive cirrhotic patients receiving a LeVeen shunt for intractable ascites. While the mean interval before shunt occlusion was 4±3 months in our previous studies, none of the patients in the present series had venous catheter occlusion during follow‐up, which averaged 8±2 months. The use of titanium in the venous tubing of PV shunts may significantly prolong the patency and function of these devices.