Risk Factors Associated with Dysfunction of Permanent Tunneled Cuffed Hemodialysis Catheters; Single Center Experience

Abstract

Permanent tunneled cuffed catheters are frequently preferred for hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), but the factors associated with the dysfunction of these catheters are not well known. Our goal is to investigate these risk factors. Materials and Methods:All cases with a diagnosis of CRF and a permanent tunneled cuffed catheter inserted into the central vein for the first time in our radiology clinic between 2014 and 2019 and who developed catheter dysfunction were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data of the cases were obtained from file records. The relationship between the causes of catheter dysfunction and the presence of diabetes and hypertension was investigated.Results: Of the total 123 cases, 78 (63.4%) were male, 45 (36.6%) were female, the median age was 55 (28-78). Twenty-nine (23.6%) of the cases had thrombosis, 72 (58.5%) had venous stenosis and 22 (17.9%) had catheter dysfunction due to fibrin sheath. Dysfunction groups were compared with each other in terms of age, gender, duration of operation of the catheter, CRF etiology, comorbid diseases, the vein where the catheter was placed and the use of anticoagulants. The most important cause of catheter dysfunction in the early period was thrombosis (p = 0.003). When the causes of dysfunction were examined, the most common causes of dysfunction were venous stenosis in patients with hypertension, thrombosis in patients with diabetes as a concomitant disease without diabetes in the etiology of CRF, and thrombosis in patients with diabetes in CRF etiology (p <0.001). In addition, it was found that catheter dysfunction due to thrombosis developed less in patients using anticoagulants (p <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of other parameters (p> 0.05). Conclusion:The use of low-dose anticoagulants plays a protective role against thrombosis. The use of low-dose anticoagulants in patients without contraindications, especially in diabetic patients, may reduce especially early catheter dysfunction.