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The main and most significant issue with permanent tunnelized catheters in hemodialysis is infection, encompassing bacteremia and exit-site infections, which are closely linked to increased illness, more hospital admissions, and healthcare expenditures. Effective closure of catheter branches and aseptic handling, following standardized protocols without additional medications, can mitigate complications and uphold excellent sepsis rates.
Twenty-six patients were included in the experimental group that used heparin plus vitamin C, while 22 patients were included in the control group that used only heparin (Figure 1). In the control group, 5 patients developed an infection after catheter implantation, while in the experimental group, only 3 patients developed an infection (Figure 2). A statistically significant difference was found between the proportions of infected patients in both groups (p<0.05). The relative risk obtained for the experimental group was 0.5077.
There is a lower risk of developing infections due to the placement of tunnelled catheters for hemodialysis when using a catheter sealing strategy involving heparin and vitamin C.