We report a survey of 196 consecutive central venous catheters (CVCs) placed in 151 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) over a ten-month period. Over this time the use of a new antiseptic-impregnated triple lumen CVC (Arrowgard Blue, Arrow International Inc., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) was alternated on a bimonthly basis with the standard triple-lumen CVC (Arrow International Inc., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.).
The overall rate of CVC tip infection was lower in the impregnated CVC group (15.6% vs 30.9%, P<0.05). The impregnated CVC group had a much lower cumulative infection rate when the dwell time in patients was five days or less (3.3% vs 26.9%, P<0.05). However, the difference between the cumulative infection rate was not statistically significant (P>0.05) for dwell times of 6, 7 or 8 days respectively. There was no difference in the CVC related bacteraemia rates between the two groups (3.9% vs 3.7%, P>0.05).
van HeerdenP.V., WebbS.A.R., FongS., GolledgeC.L., RobertsB.L., ThompsonW.R.Central venous catheters revisited—infection rates and an assessment of the new fibrin analysing system brush.Anaesth Intens Care1996; 24: 330–333.
2.
MakiD.G., WheelerS.J., StolzS.M., MermelL.A.Clinical trial of a novel antiseptic-coated venous catheter. (Abstract). The 31st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Chicago. September 29-October 2, 1991.
3.
TrazzeraS., SternG., BhardwajR., SinhaS., RaiserP.Examination of antimicrobial coated central venous catheters in patients at high risk for catheter related infections in a medical intensive care unit and leukemia/bone marrow transplant unit.Crit Care Med1995; 23: A152.
