Should central venous lines access devices (CVADs) be locked with heparin or saline?
The uses of either saline or heparin in the catheters are based on the manufacturers’ recommendations, institutional protocols, and the panel’s expertise. Saline is recommended by the manufacturers of closed ended catheters and positive pressure injection/lock adaptors because these valves prevent blood backflow into the lumen of the catheter and therefore would reduce or eliminate the risk of intraluminal thrombus occlusion. The panel would like to emphasize that with the use of saline in these devices, the proper procedure must be followed as outlined by the manufacturers to prevent blood backflow as an improper flushing procedure and backflow of blood can cause a thrombus or occlusion. Heparin is used to prevent thrombus development if blood should enter the lumen of the catheter and is therefore used with open ended catheters. Open or closed ended catheters with or without positive pressure devices and external extensions (e.g., Hickman) can become kinked or bent exerting enough pr
