Bacteriuria during indwelling catheter drainage. Effect of constant bladder rinse

Abstract

Patients (33) requiring prolonged drainage of the urinary bladder in 35 separate instances were treated with a constant bladder irrigation of a dilute solution of neomycin sulfate and polymyxin-B sulfate. This system was highly effective in preventing bacteriuria caused by gram-negative rod forms in patients with initially sterile urine if the catheter remained in place for 10 days or less, but it was considerably less effective in preventing acquired bacteriuria when catheter drainage was in excess of 10 days. The bladder rinse did not eradicate preexisting bacteriuria. Although complications were minimal, prolonged irrigation with neomycin-polymyxin-B solution predisposed to acquired bacteriuria or super-infection with Proteus species and enterococci which were usually resistant to at least one of these antibiotics.