Comparison of HemoFoam® and Conventional Gauze Dressing on Hemostasis of Vascular Access Site in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Dialysis access puncture wound bleeding after needle extraction at the end of each hemodialysis session is a very important problem. This study evaluated the effect of HemoFoam® compared to conventional gauze dressing on hemostasis of dialysis access puncture wound bleeding in hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: This one-group, before-after, clinical-trial was conducted on 60 hemodialysis patients selected by convenience sampling who underwent hemodialysis through arteriovenous fistula in Shahid Rahnemoon Hospital, Yazd, Iran in 2017. After reviewing the eligibility criteria, the study was performed in two separate sessions. In the first session, only HemoFoam® was used while in the second session; the only conventional dressing was used. Time of hemostasis in each puncture wound was evaluated. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp, United States) using paired T-test and Chi-square tests. Results: The mean age of the patients was 55.20±14.25 years. Hemostasis was achieved in 76.6% of cases at the arterial access site in the first two minutes in the HemoFoam® group. The mean homeostasis time in the HemoFoam® group was 2.86±1.87 min at the venous access site and 3.15±1.97 min at the arterial access site (P<0.001). The mean homeostasis time in the conventional dressing group was 10.54±6.65 min at venous access site and 12.74±9.28 min at the arterial access site, which was significantly different between the two groups (P<0.001). Conclusion: HemoFoam® is effective in reducing the time of homeostasis in the vascular access site of hemodialysis patients. Therefore, its use in hemodialysis wards is recommended for hemostasis in the dialysis access puncture wound bleeding. [GMJ.2019;8:e1395]

Venous access-site closure with vascular closure device vs. manual compression in patients undergoing catheter ablation or left atrial appendage occlusion under uninterrupted anticoagulation: a multicentre experience on efficacy and complications

Aims Manual compression (MC), widely used to achieve venous access haemostasis, needs prolonged immobilization and extended time-to-haemostasis. Vascular closure devices (VCD) have been reported to have significantly shorter time to haemostasis and ambulation in arterial access-site management. The current study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy as well as rate of urinary tract complications in patients receiving MC vs. VCD for venous access-site closure. Methods and results A total of 803 consecutive patients undergoing catheter ablation or left atrial appendage closure were classified into the VCD (n = 304) and the MC (n = 499) group, based on the methods used for haemostasis at the venous access site. Foley catheter was used for bladder-emptying in all MC cases and 15 VCD patients. At one site, VCD group patients with experience of MC in prior ablations were asked to describe their overall satisfaction level after comparing the past experience with the present. Haemostasis was achieved effectively in both populations. No VCD cases required >2 h bed rest, whereas 7 (1.4%) patients in the MC group needed prolonged immobilization (P = 0.04). Significantly higher incidence of access-site haematoma (P = 0.004) and urinary complications (P < 0.05) were observed in the MC group. Majority of VCD patients (68%) with prior experience of MC for haemostasis expressed satisfaction over the early ambulation and ability to void urine without bladder catheterization. Conclusion Vascular closure devices provided effective haemostasis, while reducing the access-site complications, ambulation time, and urinary complications.

Herpes Zoster Overlying Recently Placed Central Venous Access Site: A Case Report

Herpes zoster, commonly called shingles, is a disease that results from the reactivation of varicella zoster virus. Local trauma has been reported as a precipitant for reactivation, but this condition is rarely seen localized to a fresh surgical incision. We present the case of a patient who developed shingles overlying the incision site of a recently buried central venous access port, illustrating the need to consider this diagnosis as a unique imposter of localized infection or reaction at sites of recent procedural trauma.