[Comparative Study of Maintenance of Patency of Triple Lumen Central Venous Catheter]

Objective: Establish an action protocol for the maintenance of patency of the three lumen central venous catheters (CVC) when any of them are not used. The main variable of interest was evaluate it 24 hours.

Material And Method: This is a blind, randomized clinical trial. Phase 1: Comparison of efficacy, for maintenance of patency of the lumen at 24 hours and on discharge of the patient, of sodium heparin 500 IU (control 1), versus sodium heparin 100 IU (study 1). Phase 2: Once efficacy of sodium heparin 100 IU (control 2) was confirmed, we compared it with saline solution (SS) (study 2).

Population: multiple diseased patients admitted to eight critical care unit who were carriers of 3 lumen CVC without previous coagulation disorders.

Analysis: SPSS 12.0 program.

Results: Phase 1: 128 catheters (control 1: 49, study 1: 79). Mean days of permanency with CVC: 5.4 (SD 6). At 24h, 100% of the CVC of both groups were patent. On discharge of the patient (n = 107) were not patent and 4.9% of the control group and 4.5% of the study group 1. Phase 2: 95 catheters (control 2: 38, study 2: 57) Mean days of permanency: 4.87 (SD 5). At 24h (n = 95), at 72 h (n = 66) and on discharge (n = 43), 100% of the CVC of both groups were patent. No significant difference was established in the two study phases between the groups studied with days of permanence, laboratory values and anticoagulant treatment.

Conclusions: SS is as effective as 100 or 500 IU of heparin for maintenance of patency of CVC.