Intubated

Infection

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTIs, are infections of the urinary tract that occur as a result of urinary catheter use. CAUTIs occur when bacteria travel up the catheter tubing and spread to the rest of the urinary tract. Risk factors for developing a CAUTI include prolonged catheter use, improper hand hygiene, and lack of aseptic insertion technique. Complications resulting from CAUTIs include increased morbidity and mortality, as well as longer hospital stays. Risk of infection is also associated with tracheal intubation. Ventilator-associated pneumonia, or VAP, is a type of pneumonia that occurs in patients who have been intubated and mechanically ventilated for more than 48 hours. A procedure to create a small opening directly into the trachea, or a tracheostomy, is often performed if prolonged intubation is expected to reduce the risk of contracting VAP.