Catheter related infections in Damas Hospital.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of catheter-related infections in our Institution. We examined retrospectively 89 medical records of patients in whom an intravascular catheter tip culture were obtained during January through December 1991. Forty-seven catheter related infections were identified in 43 patients. There were 33 multiple lumen infected catheters and 14 single lumen. Catheters for hemodialysis were infected in 38.3% of the patients. Twenty catheters were inserted into the subclavian vein. Fifty percent of the reinserted catheters were placed in the same site, of which 28.6% became infected. Staphylococcus epidermis was isolated in 28.1% of the patients, while in 50% of the patients with Staphylococcus aureus, bacteremia was identified. Staphylococci and Enterococci were more sensitive to Vancomycin than to any other antibiotic.