ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of increasing the time span between changes of disposable ventilator tubing from 4 to 7 days. DESIGN: A prospective non-randomised study comparing levels of bacterial colonisation amongst babies who had ventilator circuits changed on either the 4th or 7th day. Data was collected sequentially with data collection from the '4-day group' preceding data collection from the '7-day group'. SETTING: A tertiary neonatal intensive care nursery. PATIENTS: All babies requiring ventilation at the time when data collection was possible. Ten babies were included in the first group (4 days) and 33 babies in the second group. INTERVENTIONS: Inspiratory and expiratory lines were swabbed and water from the humidifier trap sampled before the line was changed at either 4 or 7 days. Results of routine endotracheal aspirates, taken before and after the change of circuitry, were noted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The level of bacterial contamination of ventilator circuits. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In this small sample, no differences were found in terms of bacterial colonisation of ventilator lines. This has resulted in a change of practice in the hospital and a cost saving of over $15,000.
