Author/Editor		Strojnik, Tadej; Golc, Jasmina; Zakelšek, Jasna
Title		Infections of external ventricular drainages
Type		članek
Vol. and No.		Letnik 8, št. 2
Publication year		2012
Volume		str. 250-256
ISSN		1644-3640 - Central European journal of medicine
Language		eng
Abstract		Aim The most common complication of the external ventricular drainage (EVD) is an infection, which is linked to different risk factors. We tried to investigate possible links between different risk factors and incidences of aninfection of the EVD. Materials and Methods We used a retrospective methodand examined records of 176 patients. These patients were admitted to the University clinical centre Maribor between January 2004-December 2005 and January 2009-December 2010 and had an EVD inserted. Results Our research hadshown a high overall occurrence of infection, namely 23.3 %. We found a significantly higher incidence of infection in patients with a subarachnoid haemorrhage as an etiology. The likelihood of an infection increased with eachcatheter replacement and with EVDs inserted for more than 7 days. The incidence of infection in the group of patients with an impregnated catheter was significantly lower. The protective role of impregnated catheters is larger in terms of local effect and smaller in broader effect in CSF space. Conclusions An easy retrograde route for microorganisms to enter ventricular space should be prevented with appropriate wound care and by replacing EVDs only in cases of mechanical dysfunction or extraction.
Keywords		external ventricular drain infections of EVD impregnated catheter duration of an EVD EVD replacement EVD