The incidence and clinical significance of intravenous fat emulsion contamination during infusion.

So that the actual contamination rate of intravenous fat emulsions, as well as the type of microbial contamination, could be quantified, 103 bottles of 10% fat emulsion were collected near infusion completion from patients' bedsides. All samples were cultured and compared according to actual hanging time, in addition to the amount and type of microbial contamination. Recovered organisms included Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, diphtheroids, and Micrococcus. Sample analysis failed to demonstrate significant differences in extrinsic microbial contamination rate or organism multiplication between samples infusing for less than or equal to 12 hr and those infusing longer. Although these products support microbial growth, the contaminants introduced into the infusate by environmental or touch contamination yielded minimal colony growth. No patient developed signs or symptoms of bacteremia during the study period. Therefore, infusion of intravenous fat emulsion products over extended periods of time in this study did not increase the risk of developing infectious complications.