Septic endarteritis due to intra-arterial catheters for cancer chemotherapy. I. Evaluation of an outbreak. II. Risk factors, clinical features and management, III. Guidelines for prevention

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A cluster of three cases of staphylococcal septic endarteritis originating from percutaneously inserted brachial artery catheters for regional cancer chemotherapy prompted an epidemiologic and clinical study of bacteremic infections associated with this therapeutic modality. Nine cases were identified over a 3 1/2-year period (1.6% of all catheterizations), all caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The cluster followed discontinuation of hexachlorophene for scrub of the extremity prior to cannulation; phage-typing suggested the three cases were caused by the patients' own strains of Staphylococcus. These infections produced a distinctive clinical syndrome which facilitates implicating the catheter in the genesis of fever occurring in a patient receiving intra-arterial chemotherapy: early localized pain (89%) and hemorrhage (78%), and Osler's nodes distally (44%), later followed by local inflammation (78%), purulence (56%) and signs of systemic sepsis (100%) (each factor, p < .005). Duration of cannulation did not influence susceptibility to infection. However, difficult cannulations or need for repositioning the catheter (p = .0096), prior radiation therapy (p = .033), leukopenia (p < .05) and hypoalbuminemia (p < .05) were all associated with septicemia. In the 25 months since implementation of specific control measures, there have been no further catheter-related septicemias in 310 catheterizations (p < .001). Guide-lines for prevention and management of these infections are provided.