Prolonged catheter use linked to infections in regional anesthesia

Editor's Note

Infection risk with peripheral and epidural catheter use in continuous regional anesthesia increases over time, especially after 4 days, this study finds.

Of 44,555 continuous regional anesthesia patients analyzed in this German study, the probability of infection-free catheter use decreased each day of peripheral and epidural catheter use.

In peripheral catheters, it was 99% at day 4, 96% at day 7, and 73% at day 15. In epidural catheters, it was 99% at day 4, 95% at day 7, and 73% at day 15. Only 31% of patients had severe infections that required surgery.

Infected catheters should be removed as soon as practical, the authors note.