Disposable Telemetry Wires

BacktoBasics · Nov 19, 2010

I don't have any resources but our unit may start to use them for patients on contact precautions. I know they're pretty expensive, like $17 or something.

pshs_2000 · Nov 20, 2010

Have you tried doing a literature review with PubMed or Cochrane Reviews?

Here's an abstract of a publication being released this month:

Am J Crit Care. 2010 Nov;19(6):e73-80.

Cleaned, ready-to-use, reusable electrocardiographic lead wires as a source of pathogenic microorganisms.

Albert NM, Hancock K, Murray T, Karafa M, Runner JC, Fowler SB, Nadeau CA, Rice KL, Krajewski S.

Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. [email protected]

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cleaned electrocardiographic lead wires are a potential source of microorganisms capable of causing nosocomial infection.

OBJECTIVES: To examine fungal and bacterial growth on cleaned reusable lead wires, determine if microbial growth is associated with hospital site or work environment, determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and learn if antibiotic-resistant bacteria are associated with hospital site and work environment.

METHODS: Cleaned lead wires (N = 320) from critical care and telemetry units, emergency departments, and operating rooms of 4 hospitals were swabbed and the specimens cultured for microbial growth. Bacterial species were grouped by their risk for human infection: at risk (n = 9), potential risk (n = 5), and no risk (n = 10). Work environments were compared by using pairwise contrasts from a generalized estimating equation model.

RESULTS: Fungi were rare (0.6%). Of 226 cultures from 201 wires (62.8%) with bacterial growth, 121 were of at- or potential-risk bacteria (37.8%). Urban hospitals had less growth (P ≤ .001) and fewer bacterial species per wire (P ≤ .001) than did community hospitals. Presence of any bacteria (P = .02) and number of bacterial species per wire (P = .002) were lowest in operating rooms; emergency departments and telemetry units had more growth than did critical care units. Among specimens of staphylococci and enterococci, 6 each were sensitive to antibiotics; of 4 resistant staphylococcal species, 1 was not a human opportunistic pathogen and 3 were potential-risk species.

CONCLUSIONS: Bacteria are common on reusable, cleaned lead wires and differ by hospital and clinical area.

Cleaned, ready-to-use, reusable electrocardiograph... [Am J Crit Care. 2010] - PubMed result

I actually just found the link to the full article (Cleaned, Ready-to-Use, Reusable Electrocardiographic Lead Wires as a Source of Pathogenic Microorganisms â€" Am J Crit Care). You can look at their reference section for additional articles.

And here is an abstract from some kind of conference:

A Survey of EKG Telemetry Harnesses as a Reservoir of Resistant Noscomial Pathogens.

MAKI DG, BROOKMEYER PR; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (43rd: 2003: Chicago, Ill.).

Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2003 Sep 14-17; 43: abstract no. K-746.

Univ. of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI.

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic wiring harnesses are a ubiquitous feature of modern-day medical care, especially in the ICU. In most centers, lead wires are reused many times, with cleaning prior to reuse. To our knowledge, no study has prospectively examined the prevalence of contamination of telemetry wires by antibiotic-resistant organisms. METHODS: We undertook a microbiologic survey of freshly reprocessed telemetry leads ready to be applied to a new patient, in our ICUs. Cultures were obtained by wiping the entire length of each lead, including connectors, with sterile saline-soaked gauze, which was then incubated in TSB. RESULTS: A total of 50 telemetry leads were cultured. Nine leads were positive for VRE (18%) and four for S. aureus (8%), (1 MRSA); Pseudomonas species (4), Acinetobacter (3), and Serratia (1) were also recovered. CONCLUSION: In this study, 1/3 of reprocessed reusable telemetry leads, cultured at random, yielded multi-resistant pathogens such as MRSA and VRE. Reusable telemetry leads, which are in direct and intimate contact with the patient, are a significant potential reservoir of resistant noscomial pathogens. They are, unfortunately, difficult to reliably clean. Disposable leads, or better, the use of wireless telemetry, could obviate the risks posed by this newly identified reservoir of multi-resistant noscomial pathogens.

A Survey of EKG Telemetry Harnesses as a Reservoir of Resistant Noscomial Pathogens.

Hope this helps!