title: Central venous catheter-associated infections.
abstract: Most patients in the hospital need vascular access: a peripheral venous line, a short-term non-cuffed central venous catheter (CVC), a long-term cuffed CVC, an implantable port or an arterial line. Such devices, although often indispensable and of benefit, may have the disadvantage of mechanical complications, local exit-site infections or catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CRBSI). Apart from peripheral venous lines, non-cuffed CVCs are the most frequent catheter type in hospitals. The risk for CRBSI of such catheters is high with an incidence density of 2 to 7 episodes per 1000 catheter-days depending on ward-type, institution and geographical region. This review describes the epidemiology, the frequency and the risk of CRBSI among non-cuffed CVCs, provides accepted definitions as well as descriptions of diagnostic techniques and highlights various prevention measures.
authors.affiliation: Doctor Infection Control Program, Geneva University Hospitals, 24 Rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. walter.zingg@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zingg
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cartier-Fässler
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walder
mesh_terms: D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors