Sepsis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sepsis, including details on septicemia, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment.

Prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections: an appraisal of developments in designing an infection-resistant 'dream dialysis-catheter'.

Saxena AK, Panhotra BR

Division of Nephrology, Postgraduate Department of Medicine and Microbiology, King Fahad Hospital & Tertiary Care Centre, Hofuf, King Faisal University, Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia. dranil_31982@yahoo.com

With the increasing number of elderly, diabetics and debilitated patients being accepted for haemodialysis (HD), the use of central venous catheters (CVCs) as vascular access has become more widespread, with an inevitable inherent risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) and ensuing mortality. No reliable plans for the effective management of CRBSI without actually sacrificing vascular access sites are presently available. Therefore, the onus really falls on renal physicians to make effective use of the established supportive guiding principles, practices, policies and programs to prevent CRBSI among HD patients. A huge body of research in polymer industry has aimed at alterations of physical, chemical, biological and immunological properties of CVCs to prevent the bacterial colonization of catheters. Developing an infection-resistant dialysis catheter has been an elusive dream. This article analyses the current state-of-the-art strategies aimed at preventing CRBSI and also reviews the progress made to date, in the direction of development of a 'bioactive' thrombosis and infection-resistant dialysis catheter.

Published 16 June 2005 in Nephrology (Carlton), 10(3): 240-8.
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