The surveillance of device-related health care-associated infections in neurosurgical intensive care unit

The invasive device utilization ratios and device-related health care-associated infections (DRIs) rate were analyzed in 2006, at neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU) in Dicle University. Data were recorded to a standard form daily. The patients were defined by using Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention definitions. NICU has six beds, where 134 patients were hospitalized, in 2006. Of the patients 89 (66%) were male, 45 (34%) were female. Fourteen nosocomial infection (NI) attacks were detected in 13 patients. NI rate was detected as 10.4%. Six of these NIs were DRIs (43%). DRIs rate for mechanical ventilator and urinary catheter were found as 14.5 and 1.1, respectively. Central venous catheter-related bacteremia was not detected. ICUs are areas of high risk for NIs, associated with the invasive procedures frequently performed; and areas where patients in bad general condition were hospitalized in. A close monitorization of the patients, in terms of DRIs, may decrease the DRIs rate.