What do systematic reviews say?

Does normal saline flushing in long‐term central venous catheters (CVC) prevent occlusion vs heparin flushing

It is very uncertain whether does normal saline flushing in long‐term central venous catheters… changes CVC occlusion rate per 1000 catheter days: ability to infuse… compared with heparin flushing (very low certainty).

• Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) versus heparin intermittent flushing for the prevention of occlusion in long‐term… 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  Rate ratio 0.75 [0.1, 5.51]
  2 studies · 229 participants
  Very low

Does normal saline flushing in long‐term central venous catheters (CVC) prevent occlusion vs heparin flushing

Does normal saline flushing in long‐term central venous catheters… showed no clear difference in CVC‐associated blood stream infection rate per 1000 catheter days:… compared with heparin flushing (low certainty).

• Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) versus heparin intermittent flushing for the prevention of occlusion in long‐term… 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  Rate ratio 1.48 [0.24, 9.37]
  2 studies · 231 participants
  Low

Does normal saline flushing in long‐term central venous catheters (CVC) prevent occlusion vs heparin flushing

• Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) versus heparin intermittent flushing for the prevention of occlusion in long‐term… 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 203 participants
  Moderate