ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of catheter-related infections in our Institution. We examined retrospectively 89 medical records of patients in whom an intravascular catheter tip culture were obtained during January through December 1991. Forty-seven catheter related infections were identified in 43 patients. There were 33 multiple lumen infected catheters and 14 single lumen. Catheters for hemodialysis were infected in 38.3 of the patients. Twenty catheters were inserted into the subclavian vein. Fifty percent of the reinserted catheters were placed in the same site, of which 28.6 became infected. Staphylococcus epidermis was isolated in 28.1 of the patients, while in 50 of the patients with Staphylococcus aureus, bacteremia was identified. Staphylococci and Enterococci were more sensitive to Vancomycin than to any other antibiotic