 SELECTION OF PATIENTS Patients were eligible for enrollment in the RCT when they were older than 18 years and had chronic or acute renal failure that required hemodialysis through a catheter. Patients admitted to the intensive care ward, receiving a tunneled catheter, with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, allergy to heparin or TSC30, with systemic or localized infection or pregnant women were excluded. The site of insertion and specific type of catheter were decided by the interventionist physician. 