teaser
Victor D Rosenthal, MD, MSc, CIC
International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Critically ill patients hospitalised in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently require central lines (CLs) for administration of large volumes of parenteral fluids, blood products, intravenous (IV) medications and haemodynamic monitoring. Because of this great exposure to device use for vascular access, these patients are under the iatrogenic threat of acquiring central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI).1,2 However, the development of reliable and safe vascular access procedures has often been underestimated.
In studies conducted more than ten years ago, it was determined that CLABSIs are related to excess attributable mortality, and the impact of CLABSI on patient outcomes was directly related to an increase in the length of stay (LOS) and extra healthcare costs, amounting to
