Reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) using a silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheter verses a silver-coated latex Foley catheter in a Northeastern U.S. acute care hospital

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Aside from decreasing urethritis, encrustations, and strictures with the use of 100% silicone catheters, little is documented about the impact that silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheters have on patient safety and the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). In this 256-bed acute care hospital located in Elmira, New York, routine surveillance is ongoing to isolate CAUTIs and to identify interventions to decrease infection rates. To evaluate the effectiveness of a silver-coated silicone Foley catheter, a decision was made to compare the hospitalʹs existing CAUTI rate using a silver-coated latex Foley catheter to the current CAUTI rate using a silver-coated 100% silicone catheter. METHODS: Using CDC definitions, a 6-month concurrent housewide CAUTI surveillance study was performed. A comprehensive chart review was conducted for all adult inpatients with Foley catheters who presented with positive urine cultures at least 48 hours after admission. Patients transferred from other facilities with a pre-existing Foley catheter were excluded. The baseline period employing silver-coated latex Foley catheters was January through June 2003. These months were then compared to the same months, utilizing the silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheter, in 2004. RESULTS: The hospitals decision to convert from a silver-coated latex Foley catheter to a silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheter resulted in a 69% reduction in CAUTIs (p=0.014). Using the silver-coated latex Foley catheter, the average CAUTI rate in 2003 was 3 infections per 1000 Foley catheter days. In 2004, using the silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheter, the average CAUTI rate was 0.93 infections per 1000 Foley catheter days. CONCLUSIONS: Silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheters can reduce the incidence of CAUTI in an acute care hospital compared to silver-coated latex catheters. These catheters can also eliminate the additional complications associated with latex. Based on these patient and provider safety benefits, silver-coated 100% silicone Foley catheters are the standard of care at this medical center.