Thrombotic obstruction of the central venous catheter in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

This is an integrative literature review with the aim of summarizing the prevention measures and treatment of thrombotic obstruction of long-term semi-implanted central venous catheters, in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The sample consisted of seven studies, being two randomized controlled clinical trials, three cohort studies and two case series. Regarding the prevention measures, one single study demonstrated effectiveness, which was a cohort study on the oral use of warfarin. In relation to the treatment measures, three studies evidenced effectiveness, one highlighted the efficacy of streptokinase or urokinase, one demonstrated the benefit of using low-molecular-weight heparin and the other treated the obstruction with heparin or urokinase. Catheter patency research shows a restricted evolution that does not follow the evolution of transplantations, mainly regarding nursing care.