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Investigational Use of Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t‐PA) for Occluded Central Venous Catheters
Author(s) -
Atkinson James B.,
Bagnall Holly A.,
Gomperts Edward
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607190014003310
Subject(s) - tissue plasminogen activator , medicine , central venous catheter , intensive care medicine , surgery , catheter
Urokinase and streptokinase are commonly used thrombolytic agents for fibrin obstructed central venous catheters. Although proven to be efficacious, these two agents have the potential to induce systemic fibrin breakdown and hemorrhage. We report our initial experience with tissue plasminogen activator (t‐PA) for the treatment of occluded central venous catheters which failed urokinase. Of 25 incidents of catheter occlusion in 142 right atrial catheters, six failed to clear after an initial bolus dwell of urokinase. Five of these six catheters cleared following treatment with 2 mg/2 cc of t‐PA with a mean of 1.5 bolus installations. The one catheter failure was due to catheter tip position and age of clot. No coagulation abnormalities or bleeding was observed. These data suggest that t‐PA may be a safe, effective thrombolytic agent in the treatment of occluded central venous catheters. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 14:310–311, 1990)