Audit of catheter-associated UTI using silver alloy-coated Foley catheters

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common and most costly healthcare-associated infection, and possibly the most preventable (Salgado et al, 2003). The Cochrane Review of silver alloy-coated Foley catheters concluded that they are successful at reducing the rate of this healthcare-associated infection, which can be potentially fatal (Brosnahan et al, 2004). This article discusses the merits of using the silver alloy-coated Foley catheter in reducing the risk of CAUTI in an acute general hospital. A pre- and post-intervention design was used to audit CAUTI rates. During the pre-intervention period of 10 weeks, the Trust's standard catheters were used and CAUTI rates captured. Silver alloy-coated Foley catheters were introduced and their use monitored for a further period of 10 weeks. A total of 117 newly catheterized patients were actively monitored for signs and symptoms of CAUTI. The audit met and exceeded its aim of reducing the CAUTI rate by 20&. The CAUTI risk rate and device rate fell during the evaluation period. The use of the silver alloy-coated Foley catheters proved to be cost-effective given the recognized additional costs of CAUTI and prolonged in-patient stay (Plowman et al, 1999). Given the results of this audit it is recommended that the silver alloy-coated Foley catheter be the catheter of choice for use with acute patient admissions requiring short-term catheterization.