Articles: intensive-care-units.
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Infections are a major cause of death in critically ill patients. As gram-positive organisms are more widespread and methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRSA, MRSE) are easily distributed in overcrowded Intensive Care Units (ICU), extended hygienic procedures for infection control are most important. We hypothesize that strict regulations and educational programs for medical and nursing personnel are able to control the spread of resistant bacteria. ⋯ MRSA and MRSE isolated from surveillance cultures of bronchial secretions were reduced from an annual rate of 60.0% to 37.7% and 36.4% to 6.2% respectively between the years 1991 and 1992. Accordingly, the number of lower respiratory tract infections and the crude mortality could be reduced. We conclude that prompt implementation of control measures and continuous education of medical personnel are able to control an outbreak of infection with resistant staphylococci in an ICU setting.
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Klinische Pädiatrie · Jan 1994
[Effectiveness and complications of percutaneous central venous catheters in neonatal intensive care].
Low birth weight babies and sick full-term babies, who require total parenteral nutrition and repeated intravenous applications of drugs, which irritate peripheral veins, very often need a reliable central venous catheter. The aim of our paper was to study prospectively the efficiency and the complications of peripheral percutaneous Silastic-catheters. ⋯ The mean duration of use was 13.7 days, the catheter-induced septicaemia-rate was 3.5%. We never saw serious complications of a central venous catheter, the most common complication was an intravasal central obstruction, but we found no relation between the occurrence-risk of complications, the duration of use and the infusion flow rate.