Catheter Dysfunction Rate in Patients Undergoing Kidney Replacement Therapy. Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Anti-reflux Valves Without Heparin Lock Solution

Catheter dysfunction and infections are the most common complications observed among patients with dialysis catheters for long-term dialysis ( CDLD ) . They are causing a worsening of the morbidity and mortality of patients , loss of quality of renal replacement therapy , a reduction in the duration of catheterization , as well as increased spending related to health care.

The use of anti- reflux ( Tego ® , ICU Medical , USA, distributed by the Laboratory Hemotech , FRANCE ) valves reduces the rate of dysfunction and infections CDLD( catheters for long-term dialysis ). Unpublished preliminary data suggest that these valves allow parallel use of interdialytic saline locks without increasing the risk of dysfunction. This strategy would therefore achieve significant savings usual interdialytic CDLD( catheters for long-term dialysis )locks ( including heparin) whose use is not devoid of potentially serious adverse events and whose health care costs have increased dramatically in recent years . Moreover, this would also produce savings in fibrinolytic treatment.

A randomized controlled trial is needed to assess the effectiveness of TEGO ® valves in combination with saline locks on the risk of dysfunction CDLD(catheters for long-term dialysis ) .