RESUMO
This paper is a report of one year's experience with the PermCath central venous access dialysis catheter in the Bahamas. The PermCath was employed for temporary access in patients requiring chronic haemo-dialysis while awaiting permanent access sites. PermCaths were inserted via internal or external jugular vein cut-down under local anaesthesia. Fifteen catheters were inserted in 13 patients. One patient had three PermCaths. The 15 PermCaths were in situ for a total of 1,224 patient days and 385 dialysis episodes. The catheters were in situ for a range of 3 to 155 days, an average of 81.5 days per patient. Six patients had a catheter in situ longer than four months. Three PermCaths were removed because of sepsis and one for occlusion. There were no exit site infections or clinical thrombosis. It is concluded that PermCaths can be used safely for long term vascular access, with minimal morbidity and their use is recommended if temporary access is required for longer than four weeks (AU)
