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Prospective Evaluation of Ventriculostomy Infections

Introduction: Hospital-acquired infections associated with external drainage of ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are a significant source of concern for the patients and the provider team alike. Traditional rates of ventriculostomy infection range from 10-17% in a time-dependent fashion. Changi...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Worley, Emmagene, Astle, Sonia, Watson, Joe C
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Cureus 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4585816/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26430586
http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.312
Descripción
Sumario:Introduction: Hospital-acquired infections associated with external drainage of ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are a significant source of concern for the patients and the provider team alike. Traditional rates of ventriculostomy infection range from 10-17% in a time-dependent fashion. Changing physician and nursing practices fueled this concern over infections.  Objective: We sought to prospectively identify the risk factors associated with ventriculostomy infections as part of a quality assurance project.  Methods: One hundred consecutive patients were evaluated and data were collected on 91. The primary indications for ventriculostomy were subarachnoid hemorrhage (46%), intracerebral hemorrhage (24%), and trauma (22%). Variables prospectively evaluated included pre-incision antibiotics, sterile technique bundling, setting of placement (operating room versus intensive care unit), experience of operator (attending, resident, or physician assistant), catheter type (antibiotic impregnated or not), use of a post-insertion dressing, and in-dwell time of the catheter.  Results: There was only one infection in 91 patients (1.1%). This infection occurred in a patient without an antibiotic-impregnated catheter that was inserted by a resident physician. Compliance with pre-insertion antibiotics was very high, but most other variables had modest deviations in compliance. Conclusion: Infection rate related to external ventricular drainage is very low. Our data suggest that non-antibiotic impregnated catheters may be associated with infection, but that other variables thought to be critical may be of less value.