The prevention and management of device-related infection in infusion therapy.
Thirty-three nosocomial outbreaks of infusion-related septicemia since 1965 have dramatically pointed up the microbiologic hazards of infusion therapy. At least 25,000 patients develop device-related septicemia in the United States each year, but the source of many of these bacteremias is never recognized. Most infusion-related septicemias, including those in hyperalimentation, originate from the device used for vascular access. Epidemics stem from infusate contaminated by Klebsielleae species or pseudomonads, either from a source in the hospital or in the manufacturing plant. Device-related infection in infusion therapy can be greatly prevented by scrupulous attention to local asepsis and by limiting the duration of cannulation of peripheral veins (less than or equal to 3 days) and arteries (less than or equal to 4 days).
D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D010689:Phlebitis / Q000209:etiology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000517:prevention & control