Etiology of catheter-associated sepsis. Correlation with thrombogenicity.

A series of 94 central venous catheters was observed at removal for gross evidence of intraluminal or surface thrombus deposition. All those that were later found to have positive cultures had been noted to display thrombus formation, while catheters having negative cultures were usually free of thrombus. Devices made of a relatively nonthrombogenic material (ethylene acrylic acid) were also relatively free of bacterial contamination.