Purpose: Prospective evaluation of the rate of bacteremia attributed to invasive radiological techniques.
Methods: Aerobic and anerobic blood cultures were obtained in 100 patients (62 men, 38 women; mean age 65 +/- 14 years) undergoing intra-arterial angiography (N = 50), PTA (N = 30) or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTCD; N = 20). Samples were taken before the treatment (T0), immediately after puncture of the vessel or bile duct (T2), and 30 min after the termination of the procedure (T3).
Results: The overall rate of bacteremia was 18%. During diagnostic angiography a 16% rate of temporary bacteremia (no positive T3 samples) was observed. During PTA the rate was 27% (no clinically significant infectious disease) and during PTCD the rate was 10% (5% cholangitis with septicemia). We isolated staphylococci (S. epidermidis: N = 7, S. species: N = 3, S. aureus: N = 1), streptococci (N = 2), Propionibacterium acnes (N = 5), E. coli (N = 1), Enterococcus faecium (N = 1), Enterobacter species (N = 1), and Clostridium perfringens (N = 1). Apart from the one patient with cholangitis no clinical infectious complication occurred.
Conclusion: Temporary bacteremia is rather frequent during invasive radiological procedures. Strictly aseptic conditions and antibiotic prophylaxis, specially in case of implantation of a permanent foreign body, is warranted.