BACKGROUND Preliminary evidence from some studies suggests that taurolidine-citrate locks decrease catheter-related bacteremia (CRB), which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients using intravascular catheters. No previous study has sought to summarize existing evidence on the use of taurolidine-citrate locks. A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to determine wh...

Antimicrobial lock solutions may be needed to salvage indwelling catheters in patients requiring continuous intravenous therapy. We determined the activity of minocycline, EDTA, and 25% ethanol, alone or in combination, against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Candida parapsilosis catheter-related bloodstream infection strains in two established models of biofilm colonization. Bi...

The maintenance of tunneled catheter (TC) patency is critical for the provision of adequate hemodialysis in patients who are TC-dependent. TC dysfunction results in the need for costly and inconvenient interventions, and reduced quality of life. Since the introduction of TCs in the late 1980s, heparin catheter lock has been the standard prophylactic regimen for the prevention of TC dysfunction....

BACKGROUND Antimicrobial lock therapy (ALT) may be considered as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) when catheter removal is not a favorable option. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcomes associated with ALT as adjunctive treatment of CRBSI. METHODS This was a 24-month retrospective case series analysis evaluating patients treated for more tha...

BACKGROUND Microbial biofilms form on central venous catheters and may be associated with systemic infections as well as decreased dialysis efficiency due to catheter thrombosis. The most widely used anticoagulant catheter lock solution in the US is sodium heparin. We have previously shown that sodium heparin in clinically relevant concentrations enhances Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation...

BACKGROUND Prevention of catheter-related infection is of prime importance,. However, because of the risks caused by the leakage of circulating antibiotics and development of resistance to antibiotics, they are replaced by lock solutions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and cost- effectiveness of taurolidine-citrate as a hemodialysis catheter lock solution compared to other c...

The opening and manipulation of central venous (CV) catheters before and after each dialysis event might result in catheter-related blood stream infections [1–3]. In order to reduce those infection risks, different types of closed luer lock access devices are commercially available. Such connectors are placed on the arterial and venous catheter hub and are designed with a split septum of medica...