Guidance published on catheter locking solutions

Health Technology Wales has published new guidance on the use of non-antibiotic, antimicrobial, anticoagulant catheter locking solutions for the prevention of catheter-related complications.

Catheter locking solutions are fluid solutions that contain ingredients that can prevent bacterial building up in catheters which could cause catheter-related bloodstream infections.

Non-antibiotic, antimicrobial and anti-coagulant catheter locking solutions use a combination of ingredients that are not antibiotic but that help to prevent the growth of microbes and the clotting of blood vessels.

According to the guidance, the evidence partially supports the use of catheter locking solutions.

It recommends that TauroLock, a type of catheter locking solution, should be considered for children receiving home parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation and for adults receiving home parenteral nutrition or dialysis.

The HTW guidance states that the evidence does not support the case for the routine adoption of TauroLock-U25.000.  It goes on to say that there is greater uncertainty in the evidence for KiteLock 4% and that while the solution  shows promise, the current evidence is insufficient to recommend its routine.

HTW’s guidance recommendation is that further data is collected about clinical outcomes and local experience, when the solutions are used.

To read HTW’s guidance in full click here.