Central venous catheter related infections

Infusion therapy carries a substantial risk of producing iatrogenic sepsis, bacteremia or fungemia originating from the device used for vascular access or from the contaminated infusate. This study, a semiquantitative assay of the central venous catheter tips (CVC) was carried out and correlated with the blood culture results to determine the probable cause of sepsis in our post operated patients. One thousand six hundred and thirty one surgeries were performed in the Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases from January to December 1997. We received 150 CVC tips which were in place for more than five days for culture. Fifty one (51) CVC tips showed growth in either contents or roll. There was associated blood stream infection in 23 patients. The age groups of patients ranged from two months to 67 years and male to female ratio was 109:41. Children below the age of 12 years were 62 in number. Candida spp. (32.4%) and Staphylococcus spp. (33.9%) formed the predominant isolates from the CVC tips.