Central line bloodstream infection,

Vascular catheter-associated bloodstream infection (BSI). CMS developed a specific code for central line vascular catheters (CVC), and CVC-BSI is not limited to the ICU. 

Abdelkefi A, Achonr W, Ben Othman T, Ladeb S, Toijman L, Lakhal A, et al. Use of heparin-coated central venous lines to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infection. J Support Oncol 2007 5 273-8. 

Burton DC, Edwards JR, Horan TC, et al. MethiciUin-iesistant Staphylococcus aureus central line-associated bloodstream infections in US intensive care units, 1997-2007. JAMA February 2009 301(7) 727-36. 

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the major threats to patient safety, yet they have not been widely perceived as such before the advent of the patient safety movement. Between one and two third of HAIs are thought to be preventable [ 1 ], which would translate into ten thousands of saved lives and billions of dollars in expenses avoided in US hospitals alone each year. A number of entities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the European Renal Association (ERA), and also the patient safety-oriented Institute for Healthcare Improvement (www.ihi.org) therefore publish HAl prevention guidelines to advance implementation of best practices [2, 3]. The incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), which exhibit higher mortality than most other HAIs, may drop to rates as low as zero with a robust infection prevention program [4]. 

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