During a 16-month period, postmortem examinations of catheterized veins and contralateral uncatheterized veins were done on all patients with indwelling central venous catheters who met study criteria.... Catheter sepsis was of two types: five cases of uncomplicated catheter sepsis and two cases of complicated catheter sepsis associated with deep-seated infections (such as endocarditis) and infected mural thrombosis (septic thrombosis) .... independent of other host or catheter variables, such as underlying disease, thrombocytopenia, and site or duration of catheterization, there was a strong relationship between uncomplicated catheter sepsis and mural thrombosis.... further investigation is required to determine whether the prevention or treatment of thrombosis by thrombolytic therapy could have an impact on the occurrence or outcome of catheter-related septicemia.

Abstracted by permission from JAMA 1994; 271(13): 1014-1016. Copyright 1994, American Medical Association.