A central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) happens when germs get into the bloodstream through a central line. CLABSIs cause thousands of deaths every year and add billions of dollars to U.S. health care costs — and they are preventable.
What a central line is
A central line, or central venous catheter, is a tube that providers often place in a large vein in the neck, chest or groin. Unlike a peripheral IV — a shorter line in the hand, arm or foot — a central line reaches a major vein near the heart, can stay in for weeks or months, and is much more likely to cause a serious infection. Central lines are common in intensive care units.
They are used to:
- give medicines — for pain, infection or other conditions such as cancer or heart problems;
- give fluids or nutrition;
- help with certain medical tests.
Types
| Type | How it is placed |
|---|---|
| Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) | into a vein in the arm |
| Tunnelled catheter | passed under the skin into a vein in the chest or neck; medicine can go straight into it |
| Implanted port | placed surgically under the skin; medicine goes in by a needle through the skin. Less visible than a tunnelled catheter, needs less daily care, and gets in the way of daily life less than a PICC or tunnelled line |
Providers choose the type that best suits each patient.
Signs and causes
A CLABSI may cause fever, and redness and soreness around the line. The germs are usually bacteria or fungi.
Prevention
Health care providers should follow CDC's recommended infection control guidelines.
Patients can:
- speak up — ask questions, raise worries, and ask what providers are doing to protect you;
- if a central line is needed, ask about the options and their pros and cons, why it is needed and how long it will stay in;
- avoid touching the tubing and the place where it leaves the skin as much as possible.
What CDC does
- Tracks CLABSIs through the National Healthcare Safety Network; data are also on the AR & Patient Safety Portal (https://arpsp.cdc.gov/).
- Works with health departments, other federal agencies, providers and patients to prevent CLABSIs and slow the spread of resistant germs.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "About Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infections." https://www.cdc.gov/clabsi/about/index.html
- CDC, Checklist for Prevention of CLABSI: https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/media/pdfs/checklist-for-CLABSI-P.pdf · Guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections: https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/intravascular-catheter-related-infection/index.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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