Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Hoefel, A.
Biofilm formation in central venous catheters - a prospective study performed with catheters from organ donors.
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Graz Medical University; 2016. pp.
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- Authors Med Uni Graz:
- Advisor:
- Krause Robert
- Stiegler Philipp
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Introduction. Over the last years, central venous access gained more importance in medicine, especially in intensive care units. Central venous catheters (CVC) are superior to their peripheral counterparts in terms of administration of vasoactive/aggressive substances and large fluid amounts. On the downside, infections of these devices can lead to serious complications with high mortality. Today, an omnipresent problem for physicians is biofilm formation in CVCs. Biofilm is a community behavior by bacteria that makes them much more resilient against antibiotics. It is the aim of many studies to find new approaches in order to prevent and treat biofilm occurrence and its complications. Methods. CVCs were extracted from three confirmed brain-dead patients during organ explantation and sent to a laboratory for further manipulation and division in segments. The segments were used for isolation of total bacterial DNA as well as for determination of colony density by quantitative PCR, determination of biofilm composition by gene amplification and sequencing and visualization of the biofilms’ 3D structure by FISH and confocal laser microscopy. Results. Bacterial growth on the CVCs could be detected. However, the numbers depended heavily on the surface area. No information about biofilm composition and structure could be gained. Conclusion. Further experiments will have to be performed in future. Prevention remains the mainstay of biofilm management.