In vitro contamination of "piggyback/heparin lock" assemblies: prevention of contamination with a closed, positive locking device (Click-Lock).
Direct contact and airborne transmission are established modes of microbial contamination of standard intravenous (iv) assemblies such as piggyback and heparin lock. In this study, 60% of the standard iv assemblies inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at the barrel of their exposed needle grew these organisms when cultured in a Soy Casein Digest Broth (SCDB). Also, 40 closed, positive locking iv assemblies (Click-Lock) were inoculated at possible contamination sites, and none of these assemblies grew S. aureus in a SCDB. These in vitro studies suggest that a closed, positive locking iv assembly such as the Click-Lock device may substantially reduce, and potentially prevent contamination of iv systems.
D003470:Culture Media; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification
D003470:Culture Media; D006493:Heparin