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Safe and Cost-Effective Cleaning of Pressure-Monitoring Transducers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Richard Platt ,
John L. Lehr ,
Susan Marino ,
Alvaro Munoz ,
Barbara Nash  and
Daniel B. Raemer
Richard Platt*
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
John L. Lehr
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Susan Marino
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Alvaro Munoz
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Barbara Nash
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Daniel B. Raemer
Affiliation:
Channing Laboratory, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesia and Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
*
Channing Laboratory, 180 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115
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Abstract

The CDC category I recommendation for high-level disinfection of pressure-monitoring transducers between uses imposes substantial costs. This practice has not been shown to be useful when disposable transducer domes are used. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study assessed the consequences of wiping transducers with alcohol between uses rather than sterilizing with ethylene oxide. We studied 5,197 transducer courses with disposable domes involving 2,202 patients in intensive care units during 15 months. There was no significant difference between the two treatment regimens in the risk of positive cultures of fluids from monitored lines, of cultures of cannula tips or of a positive blood culture. We conclude that under normal conditions, ie, in the absence of a cluster of transducer-related bacteremias, wiping transducers with alcohol between uses is sufficient when disposable domes are used.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 9 , Issue 9 , September 1988 , pp. 409 - 416
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1988

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