Because of the wide use of a variety of catheters in medical care,
catheter-related infections (CRIs) are one of the most common
types of nosocomial infections. CRIs are a major cause of
patient morbidity and mortality, often leading to premature
catheter replacement, along with the associated cost and patient
discomfort. The use of peripheral venous catheters is
responsible for most of the 200 000 nosocomial bloodstream
infections that occur annually in the United States.
Catheterrelated
bloodstream infections have an attributable mortality
rate of 10%−25% and an economic burden of up to $56 000
per episode.
2−4
Furthermore, catheter-associated urinary tract
infections (CAUTI) account for ∼30% of the infections
reported by acute care hospitals in the United States and affect
millions of patients annually worldwide.
5−8
1