CLINICAL APPLICATION OF UROKINASE-TREATED POLYURETANE CATHETER. 31

Abstract

central venous catheterization in 29 patients were prospective study with respect to “Pull-out” phlebography after a duration 20.3±10.6 days. Thrombi were present in 14 (45.2%) of 31 catheters. Two types of thrombosis were demonstrated 1) fibrin sheath (fibrin sleeve) type on 5 occasions (36%), 2) mural thrombus (parietal thrombus) on 9 occasions (64%). Any embolism from thrombi such as pulmonary embolism was not observed. The incidence of catheter-related sepsis was 19.4% on 6 occasions and 5 (83.3%) of those had thrombus. This study suggests that urokinase-treated polyuretane catheters have particulary a lower thrombogenicity and a few thrombus would reduce catheter-related sepsis.