Retention of the antibiotic teicoplanin on a hydromer-coated central venous catheter to prevent bacterial colonization in postoperative surgical patients

Objective Antibioticcoated intravascular catheters may be an effective means of decreasing bacterial colonization and subsequent catheter-related infection. The present study was designed to investigate the retention of the antibiotic teicoplanin on a hydromer-coated intravenous catheter and the effect of this antibiotic coating on catheter bacterial colonization.Design A prospective, randomized pilot study.Setting Operating rooms (ORs) and an intensive care unit (ICU) at a university hospital.Patients A consecutive group of 20 male patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.Interventions Control (C,n=10) or teicoplanin-coated (T;n=10) single-lumen central venous catheters were inserted before surgery in the OR. Catheters were withdrawn at the discretion of the physicians in the ICU after various periods.Measurements The teicoplanin content of the catheter material was assessed using a bioassay withBacillus subtilis after complete elution of the antibiotic from the catheter. Bacterial colonization was measured using a quanitative culture technique after the catheter lumen had been flushed and the catheter segments sonicated.Main results Nearly three-quarters of the initial teicoplanin coating (374±103 g; mean±SD) were released during the first day of catheterization, and after 36 h of intravenous catheterization, no antibiotic was retained on the catheter. No significant difference could be found either in the incidence of bacterial colonization between test (n=3) and control (n=4) catheters or in the number of colony-forming units (CFU) on the catheter segments (T, 263±104 CFU/cm; C, 372±294 CFU/cm; mean±SEM).Conclusion The retention of teicoplanin antibiotic coating on hydromer catheters is only short term if catheters are inserted intravenously. This may limit clinical antibacterial efficacy.