title: Ommaya reservoir infections: a 16-year retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ommaya reservoirs (OmR) are used in the treatment of cancer yet risk factors and outcome of infection are not well characterized. We therefore examined our experience with this device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using administrative databases, we identified all patients with OmR in situ between 1993 and 2008 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Charts were reviewed for laboratory, demographic, and clinical information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 616 patients with OmRs received care at MSKCC comprising 462,467 Ommaya-days. 34 patients with OmR infection were identified (5.5% of patients, 0.74 infections per 10,000 Ommaya-days). 32% of infections occurred within 30 days of OmR placement. Most (74%) OmR infections occurring after 30 days post-placement were associated with OmR access in the preceding 30 days. Recovered organisms included coagulase-negative staphylococci (56%) and Propionibacterium acnes (24%). 70% of patients had fever and/or headache and 69% had cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. 50% of patients had the reservoir removed during treatment of the infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OmR infection occurs in one of every 20 persons with the device. A third of the infections appear related to OmR placement while the remainder may occur at any time and usually are associated with recent reservoir access. Treatment often includes device removal.
authors: Infectious Disease Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: meadp@mskcc.org.
authors: Peter A
authors: PA
authors: Mead
authors: Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Joseph E
authors: JE
authors: Safdieh
authors: Eastern Infectious Diseases Associates, East Setauket, NY, USA.
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Nizza
authors: Sejean
authors: S
authors: Tuma
authors: Infectious Disease Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Kent A
authors: KA
authors: Sepkowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Central nervous system; Cerebral ventriculitis; Indwelling catheters; Infection; Meningitis; Ommaya