HIGH-INCIDENCE OF LINE-RELATED INFECTION AND MECHANICAL FAILURE OF ANANTISEPTIC IMPREGNATED CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER IN HIGHLY IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS
Me. Ellis et al., HIGH-INCIDENCE OF LINE-RELATED INFECTION AND MECHANICAL FAILURE OF ANANTISEPTIC IMPREGNATED CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER IN HIGHLY IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS, Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases, 28(1), 1996, pp. 91-93
Prolonged central venous catheterisation is associated with a substant
ial risk of line related infection, which may be reduced when a chlorh
exidine/silver-sulfadiazine coated catheter (ARROWgard Blue(TM)) is us
ed in medical or surgical ICU patients. However, no data is available
from severely immunocompromised patients. We therefore performed an in
itial exploratory study among patients with haematological malignancy,
aplastic anaemia or bone marow transplantation. The study was termina
ted after the 12th catheter insertion. Eight of 11 assessable catheter
s developed a notable degree of mechanical dysfunction, which directly
led to catheter removal in 2 patients. Six of the 11 catheters were u
nstable. Catheter-related infection occurred in 5 instances. Only 1 ca
theter functioned normally and was unassociated with infection. The AR
ROWgard Blue(TM) catheter cannot be recommended for prolonged use in t
hese patients.