Medical Devices Pose Big Infection Threat

Catheter-related infections deserve a lot of attention. Other device-related infections need attention too though, says Rabih Darouiche, MD, director of the Center for Prostheses Infection at the Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is also the founder of the Multidisciplinary Alliance Against Device-Related Infections.

“There has not been much research done in the areas of infections associated with devices other than catheters, such as surgical implants,” Darouiche says. “In contrast, there has been much more research done on infections associated with vascular and urinary catheters.”

Vascular access devices are an inherent part of current healthcare in that they are used to administer antibiotics, fluids, pain medications, blood and blood products, parenteral nutrition, hemodynamic monitoring and blood sampling, according to Deborah Richardson, RN, MS, CNS, author of the Association for Vascular Access article, “Vascular access nursing practice, standards of care, and strategies in the prevention of infection: a primer on central venous catheters.”

“Even though these devices are commonplace in the healthcare environment, they are not without risks,” Richardson writes. “The most common life-threatening complication associated with central venous catheters is infection. Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) is caused by colonization of the catheter, or contamination of the catheter hub or infusate, and/or contamination of the catheter from the skin of the patient or healthcare worker.

“The healthcare worker, such as the vascular access nurse, can affect CRBSI rates by implementing and utilizing the most current technologies, maintaining current knowledge related to IV therapy, utilizing, implementing and maintaining aseptic technique, and incorporating the standards, guidelines and preventive strategies associated with vascular access nursing,” she continues.