BACKGROUND Impregnated central venous catheters are recommended for adults to reduce bloodstream infections but not for children because there is not enough evidence to prove they are effective. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of any type of impregnation (antibiotic or heparin) compared with standard central venous catheters to prevent bloodstream infections in children needing intensive c...

Central venous catheter-related infections are an important source of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Antiseptic impregnated catheters have been recommended to prevent infections related to central venous lines in high-risk patients who require short-term catheters. This prospective, randomized, and controlled study compared the efficacy of standard and antiseptic devices in reducing ...

Despite recent national initiatives promoting the arteriovenous fistula as the initial, primary, and sole vascular access to be used by hemodialysis patients and recommending a decrease in the prevalence of tunneled cuffed catheters to less than 10%, the prevalence of tunneled cuffed catheters as hemodialysis access is increasing. This study describes the risks of tunneled cuffed catheters, exp...

BACKGROUND Occlusion of central venous catheters is one of the limiting factors in using them. Heparinized saline solution is the standard solution used for keeping the catheters open. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the effect of heparin saline solution and normal saline in maintenance of patency of central venous catheters. PATIENTS AND METHODS This double-blind study was perform...

Tunneled catheters serve as interim access during maturation of a graft or fistula, or as a permanent vascular access in those patients who have exhausted their traditional access sites. However, bacteremia rates are high in patients with chronic catheters and indiscriminate removal of catheters during bacteremia increases morbidity and costs. A method to identify whether a catheter was coloniz...