Aim: To compare the dysfunction and complication rates of small bore and large bore gastrostomy catheters. Material and Methods: A total of 521 patients (291 males, 230 females, mean age 56 years, range 16-90 years) underwent percutaneous fluoroscopic gastrostomy placement between August 2000 and January 2009. Choice of catheter was based on the preference of the Radiologist. Data was collected...

BACKGROUND Intermittent catheterisation is the method of choice for the management of bladder dysfunctions. Different urinary catheters are available, but there is conflicting evidence on which type of catheter is best. The present study provides an objective evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of different subsets of urinary catheters. METHODS A systematic literature review was performe...

BACKGROUND Dislocation rates of continuous peripheral nerve block are poorly described even though this technique is frequently used in clinical practice. The present study was designed to evaluate dislocation rates over time of interscalene and femoral nerve catheters under defined experimental circumstances. Ultrasound (US) monitoring was used to detect the position of the perineural catheter...

OBJECTIVE To compare two hydrophilic-coated (SpeediCath and LoFric and one uncoated gel-lubricated catheter (InCare Advance Plus) concerning withdrawal friction force and urethral micro trauma. METHODS 49 healthy male volunteers participated in this prospective, randomised, blinded, crossover study of three different bladder catheters. The withdrawal friction force was measured, and urine ana...

This study was designed to assess the risk of colonization and biofilm formation of central venous catheters left in situ for seven days vs those changed over a guidewire at three days and removed at seven days. Colonization was determined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and compared to a special scraping/sonication culture method. Thirty-one catheters were examined, and no ...

Central venous catheters are widely used in children, particularly in very-low-birth-weight infants in whom long-term access to the venous system is required. This may be achieved by using peripherally inserted central catheters or tunnelled central venous lines (eg Broviac or Hickman lines). Previous case reports of fractured central catheters in premature neonates have involved peripherally i...

OBJECTIVE To assess the quantity and nature of the proteins that adsorb to hydrocephalus shunt catheters after implantation, and to determine whether sufficient could accumulate to obstruct the catheter. DESIGN Elution of proteins from 102 explanted shunt catheters, with protein assay and electrophoresis of the eluate, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the catheters. RESULTS The amo...

conclusions invasive treatment of dialysis patients for cvc related complications is effective and durable during mid-term follow up with no re-intervention, clinical episode of vte or death. cta is a reliable mean for the diagnosis of cvc related complications. methods this is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of dialysis patients treated for cvc-related complications an...

background: central venous (cv) catheters play an essential role in the management of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (icu). cv lines are, however, allied to catheter-associated blood stream infections. bacterial colonization of cv lines is deemed the main cause of catheter-associated infection. the purpose of our study was to compare bacterial colony counts in the catheter s...

CONTEXT Central venous catheters impregnated with chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine have recently been introduced for the prevention of catheter-related infections. However, there remains some uncertainty regarding the efficacy of these catheters because of conflicting reports in the literature. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of chlorhexidine-silver sulfadiazine-impregnated central ve...