Bacteriuria as a Precursor of Intracatheter Encrustation

<p>The problem with which this study was concerned was the development of criteria that could be used to determine when urinary catheter changes were necessary. By determining when encrustation occurred, it was felt that some complications could be eliminated by changing catheters before obstruction occurred due to encrustation.</p> <p>It was the purpose of this study to: 1) explore some indications for catheter change, 2) determine if encrustation of urinary catheters necessitates catheter change, and 3) estimate potential criteria for a routine time for catheter changes.</p> <p>Forty-five catheters were examined after their removal from patients. Flow rates were determined on 33 of the catheters, and all fell within the normal range except two. Visual inspection of all catheters revealed encrustation of the balloon and lumen of one catheter and encrustation of the lumina of two catheters. The other catheter had a slow flow rate but no encrustation was found during the visual inspection.</p> <p>The four catheters which had encrustations had drained bacteriuric urine for 11, 6, 5, and 5 days. The causative organisms were <em>Proteus mirabilis</em> and enterococci, <em>Candida albicans</em>, candida (not albicans), and candida (not albicans) respectively. In considering the percentage of encrusted catheters by the duration of bacteriuria, no firm conclusion could be formulated concerning the relationship of foreign material to the duration of bacteriuria. It was found that encrustation was not present if bacteriuria was present for a short time. As encrustation was considered in its relationship to causative organisms, a higher proportion of catheters from patients bacteriuric due to candida did have encrustation.</p> <p>Twenty-six catheters were examined which had not drained bacteriuric urine. None of these catheters were found to have encrustations. It was concluded that for this portion of the sample gross encrustation had not occurred.</p> <p>A study using a larger sample needs to be conducted to determine if these data were statistically significant. Further studies need to be conducted in determining the relationship of bacteriuria to intra-catheter encrustation and in formulating criteria for determining when or if catheter changes are necessary.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Year

1971

Author dc:creator

• Moll, Namcy

Contributors dc:contributor

• L. Lucile Lewis
• Harvey A. Elder
• Grace Emori

• Bacteriology
• Laboratory and Basic Science Research
• Nursing
• Urology
• Bacteriuria; Catheters; Indwelling

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1663

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-2351