[Infections caused by central venous catheter used in surgery]

The central venous catheters, now usually adopted in surgical patients, present some potential septic risks, and the longer the catheter is in place, the more dangerous it is. The authors report their experience on 130 central venous catheters, out of which 96 were used for TPN administration and 34 for monitoring purposes. The catheters were introduced through subclavian, internal jugular or basilic veins, in accordance with a standardized technique. The observed infection percentage, caused by the catheters, was 7.7%; the infection was easily controlled by the catheter removal and a proper antibiotic therapy. The only death, surely due to sepsis, was caused by Candida fungus in an immunosuppressed female patient. Therefore the authors stress the importance to prevent septic complications in order to avoid fatal ones.