BACKGROUND Chlorhexidine bathing has been associated with reductions in healthcare-associated bloodstream infection. To determine the impact and sustainability of the effect of chlorhexidine bathing on central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infection, we performed a prospective, 3-phase, multiple-hospital study. METHODS In the medical intensive care unit and the respiratory care unit ...

OBJECTIVE Complications of intravenous catheters remain a major contributor to health care costs and are a patient safety problem. An intravenous catheter not actively in use-an idle catheter-may increase the risk of infectious and noninfectious complications. We conducted an integrative review of the available literature to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with id...

We report three previously healthy individuals, aged 19-40 yr, with co-existing infected lower limb cutaneous wounds, who developed, in all probability, spinal space infections complicating continuous extradural analgesia. As the number of patients with extradural catheters and large cutaneous wounds represents a small fraction of the total number of patients with extradural catheters, three ca...

BACKGROUND Needleless intravascular catheter connector valves have been introduced into clinical practice to minimize the risk of needlestick injury. However, infection-control risks associated with these valves may be underappreciated. In March 2005, a dramatic increase in bloodstream infections was noted in multiple patient care units of a hospital in temporal association with the introductio...

Introduction We aimed to investigate irrigation and drainage characteristics of commercially available urethral catheters and determined which catheter offers the best flow characteristics. Material and methods Twelve different commercially available urethral catheters from three companies (Bard™, Rusch™ and Dover™) were investigated to compare their irrigation and drainage properties. Irriga...

Clinical scenario A rural hospital hires a new infection control professional, EL, who has just received her master’s degree and trained in infection control departments that were up to date on the best evidence. EL reviews the infection control policies and learns that traditional central line catheters are used. Where she trained, a new,more expensive, antiseptic catheter was used. The new ca...

background: this research compares the outcomes of percutaneous technique and open surgical peritoneal dialysis catheter placement in children. methods: in this randomized controlled trial, between 2010 and 2011,a total of 35 pediatric uremic patients were enrolled and randomized into two study groups. follow up data included duration of operation (minute), duration of hospitalization (days) an...

BACKGROUND Subcutaneous ports are commonly used for vascular access in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of catheter-related infection and to assess the efficacy of catheter salvage in subcutaneous ports. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 300 subcutaneous single-lumen chest ports inserted by interventional radiologists in 294 patients betw...

INTRODUCTION Catheter infection continues to be a serious problem in critically ill patients. This review will examine the incidence, epidemiology, microbiology, diagnosis, risk factors for and treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections. METHODS Relevant articles were culled from a Medline search and other review articles on catheter-related infection. Important abstracts presented ...

PURPOSE Infection is the leading complication of long-term central venous catheters, and its incidence may vary according to catheter type. The objective of this study was to compare the frequency and probability of infection between two types of long-term intravenous devices. METHODS Retrospective study in 96 onco-hematology patients with partially implanted catheters (n = 55) or completely ...