Medical Device Culture

Culture of Foreign Objects and Implanted Medical Devices

POWERCHART ORDER – Medical Device Culture

Useful For

Implanted medical devices and foreign objects in the body may become the site of an infection. In this event, the device or object is usually surgically removed and submitted for culture. Culture techniques for such objects will vary along with the type and size of the object submitted. In general, such objects are not suitable for standard plating techniques or for the performance of direct smears. Various techniques employing broth-based culture methods are used.

Method Name

Culture

Aliases

Medical Device, C Medical Device

Specimen Type

  • Medical hardware (pins, prosthetic joints, gortex graft material, etc.)
  • IUD’s
  • Foreign bodies

Specimen Required

Transport in a clean sterile dry container.

Specimen Minimum Volume

Not Applicable

Specimen Stability Information

  • Transport at room temperature.
  • Transport in a sterile dry container
  • Should be received within 2 hours of collection.

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

Rejected Due To

  • Not transported at room temperature.
  • Not transported in a sterile dry container
  • Not received within 2 hours of collection.

Special Instructions

  • Specimens must be labeled with complete source and body site information.
  • Exam includes susceptibility testing, when relevant for the isolates recovered.
  • Direct smears cannot be performed on hard solid objects.
  • Objects cannot be plated to solid media, and are inoculated into broth medium only.
  • Quantitation of bacterial growth is therefore not possible.

Performing Laboratory

Glens Falls Hospital Microbiology Laboratory

Reference Values

No Growth

Day(s) and Time(s) Performed

  • Day Shift
  • 7 days per week

 

Analytical Time

Up to 5 days

Specimen Retention Time

72 hours

Analytical Time

Up to 5 days