Related Experiment Videos
Epidural catheter colonization is not associated with infection
Georgia Kostopanagiotou1, Sofia Kyroudi, Dimitrios Panidis
1Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Athens School of Medicine, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece. narkado@otonet.gr
Surgical Infections
|April 17, 2003
Summary
Bacterial contamination of epidural catheters is common (28%), but rarely leads to infection. Antibiotic use for short-term epidural catheters is not recommended beyond perioperative prophylaxis.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Epidural anesthesia is a common regional anesthesia technique.
- The relationship between epidural catheter cultures and infection risk is not well-established.
- Previous studies suggest a low infection rate with short-term epidural catheter use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of bacterial colonization of epidural catheters in surgical patients.
- To investigate the correlation between epidural catheter cultures and infection.
Main Methods:
- Prospective nonrandomized study of 245 adult patients undergoing lumbar epidural anesthesia.
- Epidural catheters were cultured upon removal.
- Data collected included duration of catheterization, clinical signs of infection, and patient demographics.
Main Results:
- 28% of epidural catheters showed bacterial colonization, with Staphylococcus epidermidis being most common.
- Obstetric surgery cases had a 32% positive culture rate.
- No correlation was found between catheter colonization and patient or procedural factors, nor between colonization and infection.
Conclusions:
- Epidural catheter contamination is frequent but does not correlate with infection.
- Contamination is independent of antibiotic use, catheter duration, and fever.
- Therapeutic antibiotic use for short-term epidural catheters is not advised, except for perioperative prophylaxis.