BACKGROUND Central-line-associated blood-stream infection (CLABSI) is a highly consequential nosocomial infection. The most effective management includes the removal of the infected catheter. Retention of the catheter and antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) along with systemic antibiotics may be attempted only if there are unusual extenuating circumstances. CLABSIs due to Gram-negative bacteria (GNB)...

1. MCINTYRE CW, HULME LJ, TAAL M, FLUCK RJ: Locking of tunneled hemodialysis catheters with gentamicin and heparin. Kidney Int 66:801–805, 2004 2. DOGRA GK, HERSON H, HUTCHISON B, et al: Prevention of tunnelled haemodialysis catheter-related infections using catheter-restricted filling of gentamicin and citrate: A randomised control study. J Am Soc Nephrol 13:2133–2139, 2002 3. SAXENA AK, PANHO...

Antibiotic lock (AL) technique for catheter related infection encompasses the filling of a catheter lumen with high concentrations of antibiotics for hours. The goal of AL therapy is to decontaminate the intraluminal surface of the catheter. However the duration of antibiotic therapy is not established. An in vitro model was designed to establish the time needed to eliminate intraluminal microb...

Since the first description in 1982, totally implanted venous access ports have progressively improved patients' quality of life and medical assistance when a medical condition requires the use of long-term venous access. Currently, they are part of the standard medical care for oncohematologic patients. However, apart from mechanical and thrombotic complications, there are also complications a...

BACKGROUND Chronic hemodialysis patients frequently require vascular access through central venous catheters (CVCs). The most significant complication of these catheters is infection. This risk can be lowered by the use of an antibiotic-Heparin lock. This study focuses on hemodialysis patients using Tunneled-cuffed catheters (TCC), to assess the rate of catheter-related infections (CRI) in cath...

BACKGROUND Bacteraemia is a major complication associated with the use of long-term intravascular catheters. Conservative treatment using antibiotic-lock therapy (ALT) has been shown to be useful in some studies, but the evidence supporting its impact in clinical care is still scarce. METHODS We evaluated the outcome of the episodes of catheter-related bacteraemia (CRB) associated with long-t...

We report the case of a catheter-related bloodstream infection caused by Chryseobacterium indologenes, an uncommon and multi-resistant pathogen, in a pediatric patient with a long-term vascular access device placed for chemotherapy treatment. The infection was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin antibiotic-lock therapy. This is the first report on successful salvage of a long-term device co...

OBJECTIVES The use of an antibiotic lock (AB-lock) for the treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) has been suggested, but randomized trials have never been performed. METHODS A randomized, blinded, multicentre trial was set up to compare an AB-lock-containing vancomycin for Gram-positive or ceftazidime for Gram-negative bacteria-with placebo, in addition to parenteral AB ...