Quelles sont les conditions d'asepsie qui prévalent à l'utilisation des cathéters veineux périphériques ?

Close to one third of in-hospital patients have a short catheter inserted in a peripheral vein. Those catheters are responsible for more than 5% of bacteriemia, with a prevalence of little less than 1%, staphyloccus being the main bacterial strain. Prevention of peripheral catheter-related nosocomial infection requires that the catheters should be inserted at the upper instead of lower limb, distant to any joint. Hand washing with a soap is absolutely mandatory before catheter placement and the skin needs to be desinfected by the use of iodine-povidone or chlorhexidine alcoholic solution. There is no need for hair removal before catheter insertion. The use of a transparent, semi-permeable, sterile polyurethane dressing is recommended to facilitate the monitoring of the insertion site, at least once a day. Written protocols concerning the placement, monitoring and withdrawal of catheters should be available. Patients should be informed of the infection risk and associated to the prevention of such a risk.