Case control study of epidural catheter infections in a district general hospital.
Ten infections associated with the use of epidural catheters for post-operative pain relief were identified in patients of a district general hospital in 1997 and 1998. A case control study showed that the infections were commoner in the summer months and associated with analgesia infused by syringes rather than pumps. Infection rates and risk factors can be analysed regularly if pain teams maintain a database of epidural catheters inserted, which includes information about infections.
Gloucester Public Health Laboratory, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3NN.
S J
SJ
Dawson
H
H
Small
M N
MN
Logan
S
S
Geringer
D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005490:Focal Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires