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Epidural analgesia is a minimally invasive procedure, which can sometimes be associated with complications such as colonization and infection associated with the use of the catheter in the spinal canal and contiguous areas. Our objective is to determine the incidence of colonization and bacterial infection of catheters and epidural infusion systems, placed for the management of postoperative and post-traumatic acute pain, as well as the factors that would be related to the development of infections. A prospective observational study was carried out in 54 patients to whom an epidural catheter was placed for a period equal to or greater than 48 hours. At the time of removal of the catheter, samples were sent for culture of: the surface of the surrounding skin of the catheter, catheter tip and analgesic solution [HB1]. Catheter tip cultures were positive in 7 cases (13% colonization) and in 16 cases (29.6% infection). Of the infected, in 37% there was growth of Acinetobacter baumanni more frequently; 1 case (1.9%) of analgesic solutions reported growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis. An analysis was made to calculate the associated risk (Odds rattio), for catheter tip bacterial infection, comparing the hospital placement site, inside and outside the operating room, finding that the latter is a protective factor Odds rattio = 0.19 IC (0.04-0.92). We concluded that the incidence of bacterial colonization was 13%. The variables that most affected were: the placement of catheters in the operating room, the fewer attempts and the operator's experience to reduce infections of the devices studied.
