Catheter Tip Culture

Culture of Catheter Tip Intravascular Devices

POWERCHART ORDER – Catheter Tip Culture

Useful For

The Intrvascular Catheter insertion site becomes colonized by bacteria from the patient’s own skin or by microorganisms carried on the hands of medical personnel. Organisms can also gain access through the lumen of the catheter following contamination of the hub or infusion of contaminated fluids. Invading organisms can then colonize the intravascular catheter surfaces and produce a local infection, or in a significant number of cases, bacteremia, fungemia, suppurative phlebitis, or septic thrombosis.

Method Name

Culture

Aliases

C Cath Tip

Specimen Type

Catheter Tip

Specimen Required

Catheter Tips

Long catheters:

  • Two portions of these catheters should be sent for culture: the distal intravascular tip and the proximal transcutaneous segment.
  • Each segment should be approximately 2-3 cm long

Short catheters:

  • The cannula should be cultured in its entirety following removal of the hub.
  • To remove the hub, use the sterile scissors or snap off steel needles with a sterile hemostat

Specimen Minimum Volume

Long catheters:

  • Two portions of these catheters should be sent for culture: the distal intravascular tip and the proximal transcutaneous segment.
  • Each segment should be approximately 2-3 cm long

Short catheters:

  • The cannula should be cultured in its entirety following removal of the hub.
  • To remove the hub, use the sterile scissors or snap off steel needles with a sterile hemostat

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen transport:

  • Transport catheter tips in a dry sterile container.
  • It tips are cut to the proper length, there should be no need to bend them to fit into a wide mouth container.
  • The specimen must reach the laboratory within 2 hours of collection to prevent loss of microorganisms

*NOTE* Specimens that do not meet the above criteria will be rejected.

Rejected Due To

The specimen must reach the laboratory greater than 2 hours of collection.

Special Instructions

  • Specimens must be labeled with complete source and body site information, includingnthe type of catheter submitted.
  • Exam includes quantitation of microbial growth and susceptibility testing, when relevant for the isolates recovered.
  • irect smears (gram stain) cannot be performed from IV tubing.
  • NOTE: The IV site must be properly disinfected (see Blood Culture requirements) before removal of the catheter, to prevent the introduction of cutaneous contaminants.

Performing Laboratory

Glens Falls Hospital Microbiology Laboratory

  • 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Turn around time is 3 days.

Day(s) and Time(s) Performed

  • Day Shift
  • 7 Days a week

Analytical Time

3 days for Negative Culture

Specimen Retention Time

72 Hours

Analytical Time

3 days for Negative Culture