Risk of infection associated with the use of Broviac and Hickman catheters

A 4-month prospective medical records review was done to investigate the occurrence of central venous catheter-related infections. Nineteen percent of the patients developed a catheter-related infection, either local infection at the insertion site (8.9%) or septicemia (10.0%). There were 7.5 catheter-related infections per 1000 catheter-use days. The infection rate was five times greater in patients with Hickman catheters than in those with Broviac catheters (p = 0.01). Analysis by the life table approach produced a linear curve of catheter-related infection over time, suggesting a constant dialy risk of catheter-related infection.