Peripheral Venous Catheters and Risk of Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Infections

Abstract

More than half of hospitalized patients undergo venous catheterization, mostly peripheral. Simplicity and rapidity of its insertion allow the prompt administration of treatments and fluids. The main complication of peripheral venous catheters (PVC) is local inflammation at the insertion site. Thrombophlebitis diagnosis is based on the presence of local inflammation (soreness, swelling, pain). Because these signs are subjective, frequency of thrombophlebitis reported in the literature varies between 5 and 42 % of CVPs. True CVP infections (cellulitis, bacteraemia or local abscesses) are uncommon, require microbiological diagnosis criteria, and account for 0.08 to 0.2 % of CVPs. Their numerous risk factors are related either to the CVP (material used, catheterization time), the treatments infused, patients (venous capital, catheterization sites...), or the caregiver (expertise, hand hygiene, skin care, dressing, monitoring and education...). Some of these risk factors are accessible to preventive measures that are necessary to reduce numbers of CVP-related infectious events. Although rare, CVP’s infectious complications should not be overlooked considering the vast amount of CVP inserted at an institution level. CVP responsibility must be systematically raised in case of fever or severe sepsis whose origin is not univocal or of unexplained bacteraemia.