Silver alloy coated catheters reduce catheter-associated bacteriuria.
The tendency of indwelling catheters to cause urinary tract infection was evaluated in a randomised clinical study of 223 patients. A Foley catheter coated with silver alloy on both inner and outer surfaces was used in 60 patients; 60 others received a Teflonised latex Foley's catheter and the remaining 103 patients were excluded because of antibiotic treatment, diabetes, etc. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of catheter-associated bacteriuria (greater than 10(5) organisms/ml) in the 2 groups after 6 days' catheterisation: 6 patients with the silver coated catheter developed bacteriuria compared with 22 who had the Teflonised latex catheter. This suggests that the silver impregnated urethral catheters reduce the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
Department of Urology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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H
Liedberg
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T
Lundeberg
D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012834:Silver; D013997:Time Factors; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*
D012834:Silver