Indwelling catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

Catheter associated urinary tract infection accounts for a large proportion of all hospital-acquired infections, and there has been little change in the incidence of such infections since the introduction of closed sterile urinary drainage systems in the 1960s. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on the subject of catheter associated urinary tract infections, with reference to the use and possible improvement of closed sterile catheter drainage systems.