Low rate of bacteremia with a subcutaneously implanted central venous access device.

PURPOSE: Patients at long-term acute care hospitals (LTACs) are medically complex with multiple comorbidities and high rates of antibiotic and device use. The objective of the study was to analyze the incidence and rate of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and the critical factors for patient care, management, placement and maintenance of the implanted central venous access device at this LTAC. METHODS: A 13-year retrospective chart review was performed comprising 191 medically complex patients with multiple comorbidities who had an implanted central line port. Information analyzed included (1) number of catheters; (2) number of patients; (3) number of catheter line days; (4) patient demographics; (5) port location; (6) admission diagnoses; (7) type, incidence and rate of catheter-related complications. RESULTS: The total number of catheter days was over 183,183 with a mean of 959 catheter days per patient. The mean rate of CLABSI was 0.087 per 1,000 days; incidence was less than 8% of patients with catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The study found a markedly lower rate of CLABSI than reported for other LTACs as well as intensive care units, over 14- to 100-fold lower than other LTACs. The authors propose that standardized catheter placement with implementation of rigorous, prospective catheter care plans and a team approach to management were responsible for extremely low complication rates. These results can be extrapolated to different settings across the healthcare continuum.

Management of Port-a-Cath devices in long-term acute care hospitals.

A reliable means of maintaining an intravascular access device (IVAD) is an important aspect of care for a patient in a long-term acute care (LTAC) setting. Overall, various authors have confirmed that complication rates are lower with use of an IVAD. The key to this success in low complication rates appears to be a team approach to catheter care and management. In our unique practice setting, LTAC, we have over 20 years of experience with IVAD care and management. In an extensive 15-year retrospective review of the IVAD care, we found very low rates of complications, including infections. This is directly related to a team approach to catheter care, protocol development, employee education, and postoperative management.