Ethanol Lock in Total parenteral nutrition Infections (ELTI study)

To study the effect of ethanol lock therapy on the cure rate of catheter-related infections (CRIs) and on the incidence of (CRI related) venous thrombosis in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) patients with tunneled central venous catheters older than 3 months of age.

Ethanol lock therapy in TPN patients reduces the incidence of catheter-related infections and thrombosis.

Follow-up period of two years

Ethanol lock treatment. The instilled lock needs to dwell for a period of 3 -6 hours.

All CRIs will be treated with systemic antimicrobial therapy according to present local bacteriological protocols, being empiric broad spectrum at first and after knowing the susceptibility narrowing the antibiotics.
If this is not possible, the locks will be installed for as long as the patient can be treated without the use of the IVD in between the patient’s TPN or other infusions. In cases of a double lumen IVD the study medication will be instilled in one lumen for 3 - 6 hours while the other lumen can be used for infusion. During the next 3 hours the other lumen will be locked with study medication, while the first lumen is being used for infusions. After the dwell period is completed, the ethanol-lock will be withdrawn, discarded and followed by a saline flush. This procedure will be repeated for as long as the patient is treated with antibiotics. In case of not being able to discard the study medication it will slowly be infused.