Bacterial contamination of pulmonary artery catheters

Abstract

The catheter tips of 152 patients, who were haemodynamically supervised by pulmonary artery monitoring or continuous cardiac output determination, were bacteriologically examined. 106 cultures remained sterile, 21 cultures revealed a growth of non pathogenic organisms. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured 15 times, pseudomonas aeruginosa 4 times, Citrobacter as well as Escherichia coli twice, and Klebsiella and Enterobacter once each. There was no statistically significant connection between dwelling period and contamination. Also diabetes mellitus or corticoid medication in high dosage had no significant influence on contamination rate.

Practice Guidelines for Pulmonary Artery Catheterization

“…Sepsis is a potential complication of PA catheter residence, but its exact incidence is uncertain. Positive cultures of indwelling PA catheter tips are common [145][146][147][148][149][150][151] and are often due to incidental contamination from skin flora, but in the context of septic patients it is frequently unclear whether positive cultures reflect colonization from another source or the primary nidus of infection. Incidence rates for culture-positive catheters, positive blood cultures, and catheter-related sepsis, therefore, vary considerably in the literature.…”

Survey of Intensive Care Nurses’ Knowledge Relating to the Pulmonary Artery Catheter

“…The suggested causes of excess mortality have been direct morbidity and mortality from complications of insertion, e.g. arrhythmias, infection, intra-cardiac knotting, pulmonary artery rupture etc 8,9 . Misinterpretation of data obtained directly or calculated from the PAC, e.g.…”