Antiocclusive efficacy

of TauroLock™ lock solutions

All TauroLock™ lock solutions contain citrate as an anticoagulant. This active ingredient serves to prevent occlusions and maintain a high flow rate over extended periods of time. At a concentration of 4 % (as used in our products), citrate safely removes calcium ions from the blood coagulation cascade. It thereby prevents the coagulation of blood in the catheter, which could lead to impaired patency and catheter dysfunction. For dialysis catheters, antiocclusive properties can be enhanced by the addition of heparin or urokinase.

TauroLock™ products are available with different supplements:

100 IU/ml heparin (in TauroLock™-HEP100)
500 IU/ml heparin (in TauroLock™-HEP500)
5,000 IU/ml urokinase (in TauroLock™-U25.000)

The active ingredient heparin has an additive anticoagulant effect.

For the strongest prophylaxis against catheter occlusion and infection, we recommend using TauroLock™-U25.000 on a regular basis. This lock solution is supplemented with a final concentration of 5,000 IU/ml urokinase. It therefore reduces flow problems within the catheter substantially. Which catheter lock solution works best always depends on the patient’s individual situation. An alternating use of TauroLock™ products (e.g. TauroLock™-HEP500 and TauroLock™-U25.000 in dialysis) is also feasible.

Studies on antiocclusive efficacy

Study by Al Ali et al.

“…In this study, repeated episodes of acute catheter thrombosis that required catheter removal were encountered only in the Taurolock/Hep group, with no removed catheters for the same reason from the Taurolock/U group. Furthermore, a greater anticoagulant benefit of Taurolock/U was evidenced by a significantly lower number of rt-PA interventions to restore catheter patency in this group….On estimation of the possible impact of the catheter lock solution on dialysis adequacy, Kt/V values were found to be uniformly higher in the Taurolock/U group than in the Taurolock/ Hep group, a finding that further confirms better catheter performance in Taurolock/U group.…It was found that mean BFR was significantly higher in the Taurolock/U group than in the Taurolock/Hep group at many of the measured time points, a finding that adds further evidence of better tunneled catheter performance with Taurolock/U lock solution, most probably due to its higher anti-thrombotic benefit…”