The Journal of hospital infection
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
A prospective clinical study to investigate the microbial contamination ofa needleless connector.
Needleless connectors, which allow direct access to intravascular catheters, are widely used in clinical practice. The benefits of these devices to healthcare workers are well documented; however, the potential risk of microbial contamination and associated infection is unclear. This clinical study evaluated microbial contamination rates for a needleless connector, Connecta Clave(R) (CC(R)), as compared to a conventional three-way tap, which was connected to the hubs of central venous catheters (CVC) immediately following insertion. ⋯ The external surface of 33% (27/82) of the CC(R) silicone seals were contaminated after clinical use. Micro-organisms were also isolated from 9% (8/91) of the silicone seals after disinfection. The use of this needleless connector, compared to standard caps therefore does not appear to increase the risk of infection via the internal lumen of three-way taps.