Diagnosis of catheter-related infections

Intravascular devices are used increasingly in new areas of medical care, including antineoplastic therapy in oncology/hematology, treatment of chronic infectious diseases, total parenteral nutrition, and management of critically ill patients. Central venous catheters (CVCs) are a leading source of nosocomial infections, and catheter-related infection (CRI) poses a number of problems in terms of riskfacto rs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Intravascular CRIs result in increased hospital costs, duration of hospitalization, and patient morbidity (1).