[Blood specimen collection from central venous catheters--reliable also for blood coagulation analysis?]

Blood probes obtained from the central-venous catheter are common methods on intensive care units. In the present paper, the conditions for obtaining blood samples for clotting analysis of patients with heparinized catheters are examined and compared to the literature. In these patients, blood samples were drawn simultaneously from central as well as peripher lines. The results of the examination were prospectively compared. After the aspiration of 10 ml blood from centralvenous catheters, there are no differences between peripher and central venous blood samples.