Microbial Contamination of Arterial Infusions Used for Hemodynamic Monitoring: A Randomized Trial of Contamination with Sampling Through Conventional Stopcocks versus a Novel Closed System

Abstract

Arterial catheters are now commonly used to monitor blood pressure and obtain blood samples for arterial blood gas and other laboratory determinations. Stopcocks inserted into the pressure monitoring circuit have been the primary means of obtaining blood from arterial catheters. However, these stopcock systems have been associated with nosocomial contamination and bacteremias. Because of the problems of bacterial contamination and blood wasting with the stopcock sampling systems, we compared the frequency and extent of contamination of external sampling ports and the monitoring tubing fluid in stopcocks with that of a novel closed needle-sampling system (Lab-Site, Migada Ltd, Rehovot, Israel), incorporated into pressure monitoring tubing (Abbott Laboratories Inc., North Chicago, Illinois). We found that use of the novel sampling system resulted in significantly fewer episodes of internal bacterial contamination of the arterial monitoring line (7%) than did the use of a stopcock system (61%). External contamination of the sampling port was also lower in the novel system (8%) than in the stopcock system (37%). This suggests that the closed system may reduce the risk of nosocomial infections in patients requiring arterial pressure monitoring.

Effect of planecta and ROSE™ on the frequency characteristics of blood pressure-transducer kits

“…A planecta port is useful to avoid babbling and/or bacterial contamination [ 10 ], but it decreases the natural frequency of the kit. ROSE™ is useful to optimise the frequency characteristics of the kits with no or one planecta port [ 11 , 12 ].…”

The use of a blood conservation pressure transducer system in critically ill patients

“…Other organisms included: Enterococcus (8), Diptheroids(7), Coliforms (5), Pseudomonas sp. (4), Staphylococcus aureus(2)…”

“…Unfortunately, this sampling process presents potential risks to the patient. These include the persistent loss of small aliquots of blood discarded during the sampling process [1] and the potential for bacterial contamination of the pressure transducer system (PTS) when the three‐way tap is opened to connect the sampling syringe [2]. To avoid these problems, a number of blood conserving PTSs have recently been produced.…”

Reducing the costs of surgical correction of congenitally malformed hearts in developing countries

“…Apart from savings in costs, the other benefits of less frequent/un-necessary laboratory testing are less loss of blood, 34 less contamination of the arterial line, and a better ratio of nurses to patients. Taking these items into account, we suggest a possible schedule for laboratory testing in Table 4.…”