BACTEREMIA IN INTRAARTERIAL ANGIOGRAPHY, PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL ANGIOPLASTY, AND PERCUTANEOUS TRANSHEPATIC BILIARY DRAINAGE

Purpose: Prospective evaluation of the rate of bacteremia attributed t o invasive radiological techniques. Methods: Aerobic and anerobic bloo d cultures were obtained in 100 patients (62 men, 38 women; mean age 6 5 +/- 14 years) undergoing intra-arterial angiography (N = 50), PTA (N = 30) or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTCD; N = 20). S amples were taken before the treatment (T-0), immediately after punctu re of the vessel or bile duct (T-2), and 30 min after the termination of the procedure (T-3) Results: The overall rate of bacteremia was 18% . During diagnostic angiography a 16% rate of temporary bacteremia (no positive T-3 samples) was observed, During PTR the rate was 27% (no c linically significant infectious disease) and during PTCD the tate was 10% (5% cholangitis with septicemia). We isolated staphylococci (S. e pidermidis: N = 7, S. species: N = 3, S. aureus: N = 1), streptococci (N = 2), Propionibacterium acnes (N = 5), E. coli (N = 1), Enterococcu s faecium (N = 1), Enterobacter species (N = 1), and Clostridium perfr ingens (N = 1). Apart from the one patient with cholangitis no clinica l infectious complication occurred. Conclusion: Temporary bacteremia i s rather frequent during invasive radiological procedures. Strictly as eptic conditions and antibiotic prophylaxis, specially in case of impl antation of a permanent foreign body, is warranted.