Transparent and gauze dressings and their effect on infection rates of central venous catheters: a review of past and current literature.

Infection has been identified as a potentially life-threatening complication of central venous catheterization. The type of dressing applied to the catheter site has been suggested to influence the incidence of catheter-related infection. Although numerous research studies were conducted before 1990 and in the past 5 years to compare the effect of gauze and transparent dressing on the infection rate of central venous catheters, results are conflicting. This literature review analyzes some of those efforts.