Patency of arterial catheters with heparinized solutions versus non-heparinized solutions: a review of the literature.

For decades, the patency of arterial catheters has been maintained with heparin and recently health care providers have considered that the patency of arterial catheters may be maintained with a non-heparinized solution. This is an important consideration because patients could avoid exposure to heparin-associated risks. The purpose of this article is to determine evidence-based practice for the patency of arterial catheters in adult patients. The objectives of this article include: (a) critical appraisal of the current research, (b) summary of the state of empirical knowledge, and (c) recommendations for future research and practice. The literature search on this practice revealed five studies. One concluded that saline was as effective as heparin in maintaining patency, and the other four studies concluded that a heparinized solution had a higher probability in maintaining patency of arterial catheters than a non-heparinized solution. Critical appraisal of these studies found that the rigour of the research is questionable. Further research is necessary that examines the confounding variables that may affect patency in order to determine the effectiveness of non-heparinized solutions in maintaining patency of arterial catheters.