SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF BEDSIDE PLACEMENT OF TUNNELED HEMODIALYSIS CATHETERS IN PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

摘要

Introduction: Acute kidney dysfunction is common in critically-ill patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), which often necessitates the placement of a tunneled hemodialysis catheter (TDC) for kidney replacement therapy (KRT). The standard of care requires that the procedure be performed under ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance to minimize complications and ensure optimal catheter tip positioning. This entails transfer of patients out of the intensive care unit (ICU) to thefluoroscopy suite, which poses the risk of viral transmission amongst numerous health care professionals. We hypothesized that bedside TDC placement by an experienced provider in the ICU, utilizing ultrasound and anatomic landmarks without fluoroscopic guidance, can be successfully accomplished without compromising patient safety or catheter function.