The Journal of hospital infection
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Arterial catheter-related bloodstream infection: incidence, pathogenesis, risk factors and prevention.
Arterial catheters are essential in critical care for haemodynamic and blood gas monitoring. The risk of infection remains ill defined. ⋯ In patients in intensive care with cryptogenic sepsis or bacteraemia, arterial catheter-related BSI must also be suspected and excluded. The most common route of infection is extraluminal; as such, novel technologies shown to prevent bloodstream infection with CVCs, such as chlorhexidine for cutaneous antisepsis and chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings, may also be of benefit with arterial catheters.