Hospital Infections Seem To Be Declining in 2010

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There is encouraging news on the hospital and health care front, hospital infections originating from central venous (CV) lines is decreasing.  These lines are catheters placed in the main vein running through the neck and infections from these insertions are particularly dangerous and often fatal. To understand the risks, you must first understand the purpose and use of the CV line.

Description of CV

There are several types of CV lines used in hospitals today, which one a patient receives is usually dependent upon the use of the line, length of use and whether it will be an inpatient or outpatient basis. Certain treatments require specific catheter lines. Here are the main types of CV lines:

Tunneled Catheter- these devices have a cuff that stimulates tissue growth and are generally used when medications or treatments must be administered long term. They are placed under the skin at a specific point in the chest, groin or neck and tunneled under the skin to an exit site. At the exit site will be accessible lines or ports for giving medications.

PICC- peripherally inserted central catheters are inserted in an arm vein and extend to the largest vein just outside the heart. These can be utilized for several weeks or even months and are often the choice for forceful contrast injections.

Implanted- These catheters are generally chosen for home health care situations. They are placed completely under the skin and pose fewer restrictions on the patient's daily activities. Since the port is entirely under the skin, it must be accessed via an injection through the skin and into the device. In some cases, this CV catheter will have a small reservoir, which can be filled with medications that are released slowly and steadily.

Infection Risk

One reason these CV lines result in so many dangerous hospital infections is that they are placed and, as in the case of the implanted port, accessed through the skin. The top layer of skin contains many bacteria, as does the hospital environment. When these lines are placed through the skin and into major arteries and veins, the infectious material has a direct line to major organs. Proper disinfecting techniques are paramount to stemming the occurrence of hospital infections arising from this practice.

The other major danger with these lines and infection is the patient's health. CV lines are typically used when a patient is very ill, many times critically so, and therefore are at a higher risk of mortality with even the slightest hospital infection.

Conclusion

The good news is that hospital infections resulting from CV lines are decreasing. The goal nationally was to cut the occurrence by 50% in three years and the first year findings are encouraging. Recent studies have shown an 18% reduction in this type of infection across the nation as compared to the previous three years.  It is believed that the CV hospital infections can be practically eliminated in most cases by stricter adherence to the CDC recommendations. These practices will save thousands of lives every year across the country.

Article Tags: Hospital Infections, These Lines

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