Next time you are hospitalised, please check what kind of IV system is being used. Open infusion systems can cause 10 times more contamination as opposed to the closed infusion system bags, studies indicate.
Next time you are hospitalised, please check what kind of IV system is being used. Open infusion systems can cause 10 times more contamination as opposed to the closed infusion system bags, studies indicate.
This subject was raised in a presentation given by Dr Victor Rosenthal, president of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium from Argentina at Tata Memorial hospital (TMH).
While closed systems is a standard practice in West Europe, US, and even mandatory in countries like Brazil and Hong Kong, there is no such system in place in India. Closed infusion bags would include a collapsible bag (not glass-bottles) with an inbuilt injecting/inserting port.
Nosocomial infections or hospital acquired infections have gained lot of importance lately with isolation of NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1) gene in 2008. Recently, 20 people infected with NDM-1 were found in Pune. This hospital acquired infection is said to be fatal for patients.
Dr Rosenthal said, “The chance of contamination in an open system is 10 times more than the closed system.” This was deduced by the impact assessment studies done in 15 countries which were published in December last year. An Indian hospital was part of the study.
“Any device which has tubes with one end inside the body and one outside can cause contamination. These include urinary catheters, IV fluid bags, endo-tracheal tube etc. These should be closed systems so as to prevent contamination,” said Dr Gita Natrajan, the secretary of Hospital Infection Society.
“Simple interventions like hand washing, use of closed systems, use of maximum sterilised barriers like masks, gloves, gown, etc can reduce the infection in hospitals,” said Dr Rosenthal.
The study documented the baseline statistics before these interventions and recorded it over a period of 24 months. During a period of one to three months of the study, the investigators saw the blood-stream infection rate falling 50%, and mortality due to infections reducing to nearly 60%.
Dr Natraj said, “It is not just sufficient to have these safe systems in place. It is also important to monitor them regularly. In case of a saline bottle, health care givers have a tendency to poke bag with a needle to ensure flow. This need not be done, and can cause the outside air to enter the bag.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}