{
  "abstract": "Background and Aims Nerve catheter infusions are increasingly more common for perioperative and post trauma analgesia. Catheters at our institution tend to be routinely removed on day 7, and receive daily pain team follow up during the working week. Nerve catheter related infections can lead to additional morbidity, pain and length of stay.Methods A retrospective review was performed of our local anaesthetic catheter database from April 2023 – August 2024. Patients who had been flagged as having nerve catheters sited received daily review by pain team (Monday to Friday) with complications logged. 23 reports logged of redness, and 6 of discharge from site. From these 29 events on closer review 12 cases were noted to reflect infection, 8 moderate and 4 mild.Results 974 infusion catheters followed up between April 2023 and August 2024. Infections noted in 12 catheters (1.23%), no documented/identified infections from paravertebral (302) , rectus sheath (117), wound infusion (5), intrapleural infusion (8), infraclavicular (10), supraclavicular (2). 10/12 tip results 8+ve tip results, 2 negative tip results, 2 not sent, no bacteraemia identifiedAbstract P218 Table 1Infection scoring scaleAbstract P218 Figure 1Catheter type and infection resultsAbstract P218 Figure 2Day at which catheter infection notedConclusions Previous studies have suggested infection rate of 1.8 to 3%, with axillary and femoral sites most likely for infection. Theoretically tunnelling lines, and a single shot of antibiotics may minimise catheter infections. All catheters are likely to get colonised the longer they stay in. These are small numbers so it is difficult to identify patterns. 10/12 patients were already on antibiotics to cover soft tissue or chest infections. 7/12 catheters inserted in theatre complex, 2/12 inserted in ED, 2/12 inserted in ICU. 1 case insertion not documented, 1 case FAST not documented but likely to have been performed. No clear link with co-morbidities, although poor diabetic control has been linked to higher infection rates. Cases with infection will usually progress from mild-moderate-severe if catheter is left in situ.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anaesthesia, King’s College Hospital, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Kanish Amin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anaesthesia, St. George’s Hospital, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Leonidas Phylactides"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Pain Service, St. George’s Hospital, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Adah Mayfield"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anaesthesia, St. George’s Hospital, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Andrzej Krol"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P218 Nerve block catheter infections",
  "uid": "fce8608e-fcc3-5a03-9277-a9c1c31e454f"
}