Effects of Intraluminal Vancomycin in Decreasing Central Venous Catheter Infection

Abstract

Background: Central venous catheters (CVC) are important intravenous routes, that nowadays they can be used for various reasons including resuscitation management, intravenous feeding, chemotherapy drugs, and blood transfusions. Due to the special importance and increasing usage of these catheters lengthening the duration of these catheters are very important. Infections are the most common cause of removal of this catheter.
Methods: In this prospective study (cohort), 80 patients with central venous catheter were divided into two groups. In the first group Vancomycin once per day injected inside catheter equal to their intraluminal volume and remained for 2 h, then catheter was aspirated and washed. But in control group catheter was washed only with normal saline. Finally, catheter infection rates in the two groups were compared.
Results: In the group that used intraluminal Vancomycin, catheter infection was ‎observed in 3 cases and was confirmed by blood culture, but in none of them ‎catheter infection agent was not Gram-positive cocci.‎ In control group, 18 cases of catheter infection were confirmed by culture that in 16 cases were caused by Gram-positive cocci that in 14 cases catheter was removed, and in 2 cases of catheter infection, infectious agent was Staphylococcus epidermidis which catheter maintained with appropriate antibiotics.
Conclusions: Use of the intraluminal Vancomycin significantly reduces the rate of infection and thus increase the survival rate of CVC.