Saline for peripheral intravenous locks in neonates: evaluating a change in practice

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Intravenous therapy
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Peripheral intravenous (i.v.) catheters are crucial for neonatal care.
• Maintaining i.v. catheter patency is essential to minimize complications and repeated insertions.
• The choice of flush solution can impact i.v. catheter longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of 10 units/ml heparin versus preservative-free normal saline for flushing peripheral i.v. catheters in neonates.
• To evaluate the impact of flush solution on i.v. catheter longevity in a neonatal intensive care unit setting.

Main Methods:

• A nonexperimental group design was employed to compare heparin and saline i.v. lock longevity.
• Data were collected from two convenience samples: 123 neonates receiving heparin flushes, followed by 117 neonates receiving saline flushes.
• The primary outcome measured was i.v. catheter longevity.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference was found in i.v. catheter longevity between heparin and saline flush groups.
• Neonatal weight was identified as a significant factor contributing to the variance in i.v. catheter lifespan.
• These findings suggest that saline may be a viable alternative to heparin for peripheral i.v. flushes in neonates.

Conclusions:

• Preservative-free normal saline is as effective as 10 units/ml heparin for maintaining peripheral i.v. catheter patency in neonates.
• Clinical practice can consider using normal saline as a cost-effective and safe alternative.
• Further research could explore other factors influencing catheter longevity in this population.