[Success and failure with the Demers catheter in dialysis]

Between January 1995 and January 1999 54 Demers atrial catheters were implanted in 48 uraemic patients. Indications for implantation were: urgent need for haemodialysis with missing vascular access (39), fistula occlusion (7), low shunt flow (3) and problems with a previously implanted catheter (5). We observed 7 catheter infections, 5 catheter occlusions, 1 intraoperative air embolism, 3 haematomas and 1 dacron socket dislocation. The average period of use of an atrial catheter was 170 days, the longest period almost 2 years. The majority of catheters were explanted without any dysfunction. The long time of availability makes Demers atrial catheters an alternative to fistula for multimorbid patients on dialysis with poor long-term survival.