Infection is the most common serious complication in hospitalized patients. About half of the 2 million cases of healthcare-acquired infections are associated with a variety of indwelling devices. Device-related infections are associated with major morbidity, may be lethal, can be difficult to manage, and are expensive to manage. This explains the pressing need for investigation and implementation of clinically protective, multidisciplinary preventive approaches. Although adherence to traditional infection control measures and the implementation of established bundles has decreased the incidence of device-related infections, infectious complications continue to occur at an unacceptably high rate.
展开▼
