Purpose of Technology: The most common skin preparation agents currently used in the United States for antisepsis prior to catheter insertion are products that contain iodophors or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG).
Rationale: Skin preparation products are used prior to insertion of catheters to quickly eliminate a wide range of microbes and provide a continuous high level of antimicrobial action for an extended duration of time.
Controversy: A variety of different classes of topical antiseptic agents are used to cleanse the skin prior to insertion of a catheter. In addition, antiseptic agents may be in either aqueous or alcoholic solutions. It has not been determined which agent is the most effective at preventing catheter colonization and CRBSIs.
Relevant Questions:
- For patients receiving vascular or epidural catheters, are skin preparation products (i.e., CHG and octenidine hydrochloride) effective in reducing the incidence of catheter-related infections or bacterial colonization after insertion?
- How do skin preparation products (i.e., CHG and octenidine hydrochloride) compare with products containing iodophors, alcohol, or with each other in patients receiving vascular or epidural catheters?
- Are skin preparation products safe in patients receiving vascular or epidural catheters?
- Have definitive patient selection criteria for skin preparation products been established?
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