Bacterial contamination of epidural needles after multiple skin passes

Infection and epidural abscess are important complications of epidural analgesia. Difficult insertion may be associated with an increased risk of bacterial contamination of the epidural needle or catheter. Bacterial contamination of epidural needles and trocars after difficult epidural insertion, de...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of anaesthesia : BJA 2002-12, Vol.89 (6), p.922-924
Main Authors: Orlikowski, C., Majedi, P.M., Keil, A.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
anaesthetic techniques
anaesthetic techniques, epidural
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, Epidural - instrumentation
Anesthesia, Obstetrical - instrumentation
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
bacterial
Biological and medical sciences
Catheterization, Peripheral - instrumentation
epidural
Equipment Contamination
equipment, needles
Female
Humans
infection
infection, bacterial
Local anesthesia. Pain (treatment)
Medical sciences
needles
Needles - microbiology
Pregnancy
Skin - microbiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Infection and epidural abscess are important complications of epidural analgesia. Difficult insertion may be associated with an increased risk of bacterial contamination of the epidural needle or catheter. Bacterial contamination of epidural needles and trocars after difficult epidural insertion, defined as two or more skin passes, was assessed in 38 obstetric and ten gynaecological patients. There was no bacterial growth on any of the 48 epidural needles or trocars despite the mean (range) insertion time being 20 (10–30) min and the number of insertion attempts being 3 (2–4). Difficult epidural insertion is not associated with an increased risk of needle contamination and is therefore an unlikely source of epidural infection.
ISSN:0007-0912
1471-6771
DOI:10.1093/bja/aef285