P134410 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH HEMODIALYSIS TUNNELED CATHETERS

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims A well functioning vascular access ( VA) is vital for hemodialysis (HD) patients. To date a native arteriovenous fistula ( NAVF) remains the gold standard but patients vascular characteristics are often not optimal for vascular surgery. A tunneled central venous catheter (tCVC) are becoming increasingly used as permanent dialysis access and are also competitive to NAVF for the easy and safe insertion tecnique. Our retrospective study observe, during a 10 years period, infection rate of tCVC, bacteriologic analysis and cause of removal. Method From January 2010 to December 2019, 176 tCVC were placed in 158 patients ( mean age 74 +/- 18) . All tCVC were inserted by nephrologist in internal giugular vein (IGV), subclavian vein (SV) and femoral vein (FV) using ultasonographic guide. Standards protocols, according to European Renal Best Practice (2010) detailing all aspects of preventive care were used. Each tCVC was followed until it was removed or until the end of the study. 62110 days was the follow up period. 143 tCVC wew placed in IGV ( 81,5%), 22 in FV ( 11,5 %) and 11 in SV (7%). The diagnosis of infection was based on clinical evidence and positive blood culture or positive exit site swab, with no sign of other infection site. We considered a tCVC disfunction in case of blood flow less than 250 ml/m'. Event rates were calculated per 1000 catheters days. Results Mean tCVC duration was 353 days. We observed a progressive increment in CVC prevalence during the observational period ( from 15% in 2010 to 39% in 2019). Catheter replacement recurred in 19 patients and the main cause of replacement was loss of patency ( 0,3 per 1000 catheter days). We observed 63 catheter related bloodstream infection (CRBI) and 71 exit site/tunnel infection (ESI/TI). Incidence for CRBI was 1 per 1000 catheter days and ESI/TI was 1,14 per 1000 catheter days. In CRBI the most common organism isolated were MRSA (40%) and MSSA (26%) . In ESI/TI the most common organism isolated was Staphilococcus epidermidis (39.5%) . We used systemic antibiotics, local therapy and lock therapy with a 93% resolution without removal. 12 tCVC were removed for recurrent CRBI ( 0,19 per 1000 catheter days). At the end of the observation 25 tCVC were still in use. Conclusion Our data showed an high survival rate of tCVC in hemodialysis patients. We observed CRBI and ESI/TI rates at the lower limits of the data reported in the literature. Infections were successfully treated conservately in most cases. Careful nursing protocol may reduced the frequency of infection and an early diagnosis can facilitate the rescue of the tCVC with systemic/lock therapy or local therapy. We consider in an elderly population with many comorbidities the use on tCVC recommended especially in patients with poor native peripheral vessels, in patients with steal syndrome high risk and also with a low life expectancy.