Adequacy of a new chlorhexidine-bearing polyurethane central venous catheter for administration of 82 selected parenteral drugs

OBJECTIVE: To screen 82 commonly used parenteral medications for compatibil ity with a new chlorhexidine-bearing central venous catheter, the ARROWg+ar d Blue Plus. Evaluations were performed for completeness of drug delivery a nd impact, if any, of the drugs on the amount of chlorhexidine removed from the internal lumens. DESIGN: Drug solutions were prepared in dextrose 5% injection or NaCl 0.9% at common concentrations. Three 10-mL aliquots of each drug solution were d elivered over 10 minutes, one aliquot through each lumen of the triple-lume n catheter. The initial drug concentrations of the admixtures and the efflu ent samples were analyzed by HPLC for chlorhexidine content and for the amo unt of drug delivered relative to its initial concentration. RESULTS: The delivery of the infusion solutions alone through sample cathet ers resulted in no more than trace amounts of chlorhexidine in the solution . Background amounts ranged from <2.5 to 6.1 mu g/ml in the first 19 mt of solution. Administration of none of the drugs tested resulted in a substant ial increase in chlorhexidine delivery. furthermore, delivery of most of th e drugs was at least 95% and usually was in excess of 97% of;the initial co ncentration. Concentrations of five drugs, amikacin sulfate, To screen 82 c ommonly used parenteral medications for compatibility with a new chlorhexid ine-bearing central venous sodium, cefotaxime sodium, cefepime HCl, and net ilmicin sulfate were somewhat lower than the initial concentration (range 9 1-95%), but were still considered acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The ARROWg(+)ard Blue Plus cerntral venous catheter can be rec ommended for use with all of the 82 parental drugs tested.