ANTISEPTIC-IMPREGNATED CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF BACTERIAL-COLONIZATION AND ASSOCIATED INFECTION IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

The incidence of bacterial colonization of central venous catheters us ing a standard polyurethane catheter was compared wi lh that using an antiseptic (silver sulphadiazine and chlorhexidine) impregnated cathet er in a group of patients with thoracic organ transplantation. Coloniz ation was reduced from 25 of 35 standard catheters to 10 of 44 study c atheters (P<0.002), a 68% reduction. Similarly, the incidence of conco mitant infection, by the same organism at another site was reduced fro m 10 of 35 standard catheters to 4 of 44 study catheters (P<0.03), a 6 3% reduction.