[Central catheters should be removed immediately if bacteraemia occurs].
No randomised controlled study has been conducted into the correct treatment of catheter-related bacteraemia infections. This is due to the fact that true bacteraemia is difficult to differentiate from catheter contamination. Experience in the treatment of patients who do not have bacteraemia is therefore often incorrectly extrapolated to patients who do have bacteraemia with a central catheter in situ. Removing the central catheter can reduce the risk of complications of bacteraemia.
van der Meer
J T M
JT
Academisch Medisch Centrum/Universiteit van Amsterdam, afd. Inwendige Geneeskunde, onderafd. Infectieziekten, Tropengeneeskunde en Aids, F4-2I7, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam. j.t.vandermeer@amc.uva.nl
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans