Maintaining Patent Venous Access in Hypercoagulable State

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have been working with a patient who has a disorder of hypercoagulation, who has limited available vessels, who has lost multiple PICCs and midlines, as well as PIVs, due to clots (thromboses as well as clotted catheters) and yet who has a critical need for IV access to permit daily medication over several weeks.

I am wondering if anybody has had any successful experiences with such a case.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Agreed that proper flushing of the IV catheter is very important, and HIT, not being concentration dependent is a concern with heparin flush, but currently it is the only approved locking agent we have with FDA approval.

Heparin sodium isn't actually FDA approved as a catheter locking agent, then again, neither is NS. Although that's not particularly relevant because FDA labelling limits what a product can be marketed for, not what it can be used for.

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