Prospective study of catheter-related infection during prolonged arterial catheterization.

Ninety-six arterial catheters from 75 different anatomical sites in 56 surgical ICU patients were studied prospectively to determine the rate of catheter-related infection associated with prolonged arterial catheterization (defined as > 96 h). Every 96 h, all catheters were semiquantitatively (SQ) cultured and the percutaneous entry site was swab cultured. Sites were used indefinitely by exchanging the catheters over a guidewire every 96 h as long as arterial monitoring was necessary and SQ cultures remained negative ≥15 colonies). No sites used 96 h developed positive swab cultures. No SQ cultures were positive in sites with negative swab cultures (p 96 h (p It is concluded that arterial catheter-related infection develops in 96 h, and 90% of radial and femoral sites may be used safely for prolonged periods if skin colonization at the percutaneous sites is controlled and SQ catheter cultures remain negative. Skin site swab cultures may be useful for determining when arterial catheters should be removed and SQ cultured.