CONTAMINATION OF MULTIUSE CLOSED TRACHEAL SUCTION CATHETERS - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

The use of closed multi-use tracheal suction systems in ventilated pat ients is increasingly popular as it offers a number of potential physi ological and microbiological advantages. As the use of these systems h as been associated with an increased prevalence of tracheal colonizati on, effective self-cleaning mechanisms employed in these catheters are necessary. Using an in-vitro model we assessed the degree of catheter colonization in two multi-use catheter systems; Stericath and Trach-C are. Fifty of each catheter type were tested for colonization with fiv e challenge organisms: Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571); Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCTC 10662); Haemophilus influenzae type b; S. epidermidis (slime producer); and S. epidermidis (slime non-producer). All five c hallenge strains had colonized both catheter types after 24h and all 1 00 catheter tips were colonized. The extent and density of colonizatio n was variable and interspecies variation in the pattern of catheter c olonization was observed. The mean colonized lengths of Stericath cath eters was 10.9 +/- 1.4 cm and of Trach-Care 2.7 +/- 1.3 cm (P<0.0001).