Reuse of pacing catheters: a survey of safety and efficacy

Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1988 Sep;11(9):1279-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1988.tb03988.x.

Abstract

We surveyed 12 medical centers with regard to the reuse of pacing catheters during electrophysiologic studies. The prevalence of superficial skin infections or bacteremia related to EP studies was extremely low, and was not significantly different in the catheter reuse group compared to the single use group. We conclude that catheter resterilization and reuse is safe and cost-effective.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Cardiac Catheterization / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Safety
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Pacemaker, Artificial* / adverse effects
  • Sepsis / epidemiology
  • Skin Diseases, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Sterilization