• Andrew J Johnston, Carmel T Streater, Remy Noorani, Joanne L Crofts, Aldwin B Del Mundo, and Richard A Parker.
• Vascular Access Team, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK. andrew.johnston@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
• J Vasc Access. 2012 Oct 1; 13 (4): 421-5.

PurposePeripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs) are increasingly being used to provide short to medium-term central venous access. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that PICC valve technology does not influence PICC occlusion rates.MethodsIntensive care unit (ICU) patients who required a PICC were randomized to one of three types of dual lumen PICC (open ended non-valved, Groshong valve, PASV valve). PICC occlusions were recorded and managed with a protocol that used urokinase.ResultsA total of 102 patients were recruited to the study. The overall risk of occlusion per catheter was 35% (95% CI 26% to 44%). The overall rate of occlusion was 76 occlusions per 1000 catheter days (95% CI 61 to 95). Presence or type of valve did not significantly influence this rate (open-ended non-valved PICC 38% of catheters, 79 occlusions per 1000 catheter days; Groshong 38% of catheters, 60 occlusions per 1000 catheter days; PASV 27% of catheters, 99 occlusions per 1000 catheter days). The dose of urokinase required to treat PICC occlusions did not significantly differ between PICC types.ConclusionsValved PICCs do not appear to influence PICC occlusion rates.

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