THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DUAL LUMEN CATHETER WITH BALLOON BETWEEN ARTERIAL AND VENEOUS HOLES FOR HEMODIALYSIS.

Abstract

One of the troubles after setting dual lumen catheter into veins is so called “Attachment phenomenon”. It occurs by attachment of arterial side holes to the venous wall when extracorporeal circulation is done. In order to avoid “Attachment phenomenon”, a dual lumen catheter with a balloon between arterial and veneous holes (B-DLC) is developed. The balloon is blown up with 2ml saline on hemodialysis (HD) procedure. Fifteen HD patients received the catheter and the tips were positioned in the superior vena cava or common iliac vein. The balloon was blown up in only the HD procedure in 12 cases. In the remaining 3 cases, HD was performed without balloon inflation like a usual catheter. The catheter was retrieved at 10 to 28 days. In the former cases, one case had redness of the inserted portion. Two cases had thrombus episodes. In the latter cases, one was observed the “Attachment phenomenon”, so the balloon inflation was useful to get sufficient blood flow. The remaining cases had no trouble. Although some troubles such as thrombus and infection are still need to be resolved, B-DLC is useful to prevent “Attachment phenomenon” on HD procedures.