Venous catheters are increasingly used for chronic haemodialysis, with dual lumen catheters being the most commonly used as blood recirculation (REC%) is relatively low. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate blood recirculation in dual lumen catheters, both well-functioning and malfunctioning, with reversed lumens. In our study, blood recirculation in well-functioning catheters with standard lumens is similar to that found in previous studies. However, when lumens are reversed, blood recirculation increases significantly (6.7 ± 4 vs 19 ± 11%, p<0.001). REC% in malfunctioning catheters (10.8 ± 2%) was higher than normal function (p<0.05) but lower than reversed flow in normal catheters (p<0.01). Therefore, inadvertent reversal of lumens in a well-functioning catheter increases REC% in a significant manner, thus worsening haemodialysis efficiency. We conclude that, in inflow failure catheters, lumens can be reversed because REC% is acceptable. However, inadvertent reversal of lumens in a well-functioning catheter increases REC% to a level which may compromise the adequacy of haemodialysis.
CITATION STYLE
Crespo, R., Rivero, M. F., Contreras, M. D., Martinez, A., Labrador, A., Jurado, M. J., & Casas, R. (1999). Blood recirculation in malfunctioning catheters for haemodialysis. EDTNA-ERCA Journal, 25(1), 38–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-6686.1999.tb00012.x
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