Introduction:

Currently, and due to advanced age and / or associated diabetic and cardiovascular comorbidity, a good percentage of haemodialysis patients must be dialysed through a tunnelled central venous catheter.

Objective:

To know the existing scientific production on the bacteraemia related to the tunnelled central venous catheter of haemodialysis.

Material and Method:

A systematic review has been carried out through a search of the SCOPUS, PubMed and ScieLo databases. Articles written in English and Spanish were included.

Results:

28 articles were reviewed, including clinical practice guidelines, reviews and research studies. After analysing them, it was evident that bacteraemia related to the catheter affects a considerable number of patients who have a tunnelled central venous catheter for haemodialysis and different therapeutic attitudes were found to address it. Regarding its prevention, numerous publications on the effectiveness of different pharmacological measures were found, and although there were fewer publications found about non-pharmacological prophylaxis, they emphasized the importance of strict compliance with hygiene and aseptic measures as the main tool to prevent its appearance and placing nursing as a fundamental element to consider.

Conclusions:

Hygiene and aseptic measures are the basis for the prevention of catheter-related bacteraemia, being nursing a key factor in ensuring that these are complied with; and as much of the literature focuses on pharmacological measures, more studies are needed to demonstrate its importance.