Universal intravenous access cleaning device fails to sterilize stopcocks.
BACKGROUND
Contamination of a central venous catheter may occur through use of conventional open-lumen stopcock devices (COLDs), or disinfectable, needleless, closed connectors (DNCCs). We investigated the effectiveness of a new universal IV access cleaning device (Site-Scrub) compared with 70% isopropyl alcohol prep pads for sanitizing COLDs or DNCCs inoculated with common catheter-associated pathogens.


METHODS
Site-Scrub was compared with 70% alcohol prep pads for sanitizing contaminated female Luer lock COLD or DNCC filled with sterile saline or propofol and 2 common bacterial central venous catheter contaminants (Staphylococcus epidermidis or Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Devices were contaminated using a glove touch (COLD and DNCC) or syringe tip (COLD). The primary end point of the study was colony-forming units (CFU) after 24 hours.


RESULTS
The use of glove touch contamination, the contaminants, S epidermidis and P aeruginosa, produced CFU in saline-filled COLDs treated with the Site-Scrub, but not in those treated with alcohol pads (P < 0.001). Similar results were observed with propofol-filled COLDs (P < 0.001). For DNCCs filled with saline or propofol, both alcohol and Site-Scrub effectively reduced CFU growth compared with contaminated controls (P < 0.001). When COLDs were contaminated by treated syringe tips, there was no significant evidence of reduction in CFU growth by using either alcohol pads or Site-Scrub compared with contaminated controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that when the inner surface of the COLD is contaminated, both alcohol pads and Site-Scrub were not significantly effective in decontaminating the COLD. When the COLD rim is contaminated, however, alcohol pads outperform Site-Scrub. DNCCs were uniformly decontaminated with either treatment. Future work should focus on better access systems because current COLDs are difficult to decontaminate.
From the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida; Deceased.
Julie L
JL
Holroyd
David A
DA
Paulus
Kenneth H
KH
Rand
F Kayser
FK
Enneking
Timothy E
TE
Morey
Mark J
MJ
Rice
D019840:2-Propanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D003666:Decontamination / Q000295:instrumentation; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013234:Stem Cells; D013997:Time Factors
D019840:2-Propanol