Antibiotic lock technique.

Central venous catheters deliver life-prolonging medications to Group IVC AIDS patients. Unfortunately, the access device frequently provides a foci for debilitating infections. A Group IVC AIDS patient experienced repeated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis colonization and infection of his central venous access device. An antibiotic lock technique was created using a flush solution of vancomycin 1 mg/ml with 100 unit heparin/ml. The patient locked his catheter with 2.0 ml every evening for a period of 5 days. Repeat catheter and peripheral culturing occurred 72 hours after the 5-day period. After using the antibiotic lock technique, the patient maintained his catheter without further infection for an additional 2 months. This new approach may represent improved therapy and prevent the hazards of catheter exchange and systemic antibiotic therapy.