title: The electrified catheter. Role in sterilizing urine and decreasing bacteriuria.
abstract: A catheter was designed to decrease the incidence of catheter-induced urinary infections. A randomized, controlled study was performed to assess its safety and efficacy. The study comprised 24 patients subjected to hemorrhoidectomy. The criteria for entry were a preoperative urinary pathogen count below 10(5) colony-forming units/ml urine as well as postoperative urinary retention that did not respond to conservative measures. The 24 patients were randomly assigned to treatment using a Nelaton catheter in 12 patients and an electrified catheter in the remaining 12. The catheters were left in place for 3 days, during which cephalosporin was given parenterally. The electrified catheter (EC) carried two silver-silver chloride electrodes. During the 3 days of catheterization and for 4 days thereafter, daily urine samples were cultured. The criterion for catheter-induced urinary infection was a pathogen count above 10(5) colony-forming units/ml urine. No complication was encountered from catheterization. Electrodes were not broken. A bacterial count above 10(5) colony-forming units was found in 7 of 12 patients in the Nelaton catheter group, and a count below 10(5) units was determined in the 12 patients in the EC group. The study demonstrated that the EC can decrease the incidence of catheter-induced urinary infections. The EC is safe, cost-effective, and without complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Research, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shafik
mesh_terms: D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D018030:Silver Compounds; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D018030:Silver Compounds; C037548:silver chloride