Double-Lumen, Silicone Rubber, Indwelling Venous Catheters: A New Modality for Angioaccess

This report presents our experience using double-lumen, silicone rubber, indwelling central venous catheters with a subcutaneous Dacron cuff as access for hemodialysis. Twenty-seven catheters were placed in 27 patients through venous cutdowns. A 10-cm subcutaneous tunnel was created leaving the Dacron cuff 2 cm from the external exit. Sixteen Raaf catheters (lumen diameter [LD], 1 mm), three double-lumen Hickman catheters (LD, 1.6 mm) and eight HemoCath catheters (LD, 2 mm) were used. The tip of the catheter was positioned fluoroscopically in either the superior vena cava or the right atrium. One hundred fifty-nine treatments were done with the Raaf catheters (mean blood flow [MBF], 188.1±26.4 mL/min); two of these catheters became obstructed and could not be used further. Three double-lumen Hickman catheters were used in 12 hemodialysis treatments (MBF, 216.3±27.1 mL/min). One hundred fifty-five treatments were done using the HemoCath catheters (MBF, 236.7±5.5 mL/min). The degree of recirculation of these catheters was 8.56%±4.34%. The major advantages of this modality include simplicity of introduction, lack of serious complications, no sacrifice of major arteries, no need for venipuncture, and potential use in either short- or long-term hemodialysis.