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Test Code CTC Catheter Tip Culture

Specimen Type

Intravascular Catheter Tip

Preferred Collection Container

STL-CUP

Acceptable Collection Container

Sterile container

Collection Instructions

Remove catheter without touching the proximal end. Using sterile scissors, cut off a short section including the area that was directly beneath the skin (approx. 2 inches) into a sterile container without liquid. Label with patient name, patient identification number, body site, date and time of collection and initials of person collecting specimen.

Collection Volume

1 Catheter Tip

Minimum Collection Volume

1 Catheter Tip

Rejection Criteria

Specimen not received in appropriate sterile container; Incomplete requisition; Unlabelled specimen; no blood culture with 24 hours of cath tip culture; non-vascular cath tips.

Specimen Storage and Stability

Send immediately to the laboratory, or refrigerate if transport to the laboratory is to be delayed for more than 1 hour.

Day(s) and Time(s) Performed

6:00am – 12:30am

EPIC Code

LAB224

Patient Preparation

Disinfect skin around catheter with iodine prep.

Turn Around Time

Cultures with no growth will be reported and final at 2 days. Reports on specimens from which pathogens are isolated will take a minimum of 2 days for completion.

Lab Department

Microbiology

Alias

Catheter Tip Culture; Bacterial Culture of IV Catheter Tip; IV Catheter Tip Culture by Roll Tip Method;

Additional Information

This test gives quantitative results. The presence of >15 CFU of a single organism is consistent with that organism as an etiological agent of bacteremia and perhaps septic thrombophlebitis. <15 CFU of growth implies that the catheter harbored the organism. Clinical significance may be determined by correlating with culture results of blood cultures drawn within 24 hours of catheter removal.