Investigating hospital-acquired bloodstream infections caused by PICC lines and other central lines
A variety of embolic and septic complications were observed… 20.8 % died during the index admission… Cumulative mortality at 1 year was 41.6%.” … Dr. Michael Chrissoheris, Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Connecticut.
Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national pharmaceutical injury attorney, “The New England Journal of Medicine has reported that 7 to 29 percent of all cases of endocarditis are hospital-acquired and Dr. Chrissoheris states that there is ‘increasing incidence’ and ‘this trend parallels the increasing use of central venous catheters.’ These are brutal complications that will take patients off of their anticipated course of recovery to significant complications.”
What did the study “Endocarditis Complicating Central Venous Catheter Bloodstream Infections: A Unique Form of Health Care Associated Endocarditis” say published in Clinical Cardiology. 32, 12, E48-E54?
“Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 13 cases (54.1%), coagulase-negative staphylococci in 9 cases (37.5%), Candida spp. in 4 cases (16.6%), and enterococci in 3 cases (12.5%). Multiple pathogens were found in 5 patients.”
“The location of endocardial involvement included isolated right-sided involvement in 12 patients (50%), isolated left-sided involvement in 8 patients (33.4%), and bilateral involvement in 4 patients (16.6%).”
“There is no justification for the continued use of polyurethane PICC lines, midlines, or central lines as there is safer technology that reduces the risk of infection of the venous central lines.” — Greg Vigna, MD, JD
“A variety of embolic and septic complications were observed. Four patients developed a stroke…4 patients with right-sided endocarditis with septic pulmonary embolism… Seven developed septic shock… 1 developed septic arthritis… 1 had a cardiac abscess, and 1 had lumbar discitis.”
What is sepsis? Multiple organ damage from inflammation due to infection that may result in organ damage to the brain, kidney, heart, liver, and lung.
What is septic shock? A life-threatening condition that causes dangerously low blood pressure due to infection that may result in amputations of fingers and toes, brain damage, kidney failure, ventilator dependence, oxygen dependence, and nerve damage.
Dr. Vigna concludes, “We are investigating hospital-acquired bloodstream infections caused by PICC lines and other central lines. There are safer designs of the catheter (tubing) than the old, outdated Polyurethane and Silicone designs that prevent bacterial colonization and substantially reduce the risk of bloodstream infections. Sepsis and septic shock are serious complications from PICC lines that affect neonates, children, and adults of all ages.”
Dr. Vigna concludes, “These infections will lead to serious complications including amputations, strokes, kidney failure, and other complications. When they occur in premature infants weighing less than 1500 grams, they are associated with cerebral palsy. There is no justification for the continued use of polyurethane PICC lines, midlines, or central lines at this time given there is safer technology that reduces the risk of infection of the venous central lines.”
Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who represents those with serious injuries caused by defective medical devices including PICC lines and Med-Ports that lead to sepsis. He represents the injured with the Ben Martin Law Group, a national pharmaceutical injury law firm in Dallas, Texas. The attorneys are product liability and medical malpractice attorneys, and they represent the most injured across the country.
Resources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2147/TCRM.S73379
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2052297520300238
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4537676/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/clc.20498
Greg Vigna, MD, JD
Vigna Law Group
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