Infections Associated with Indwelling Medical Devices

Indwelling prosthetic devices – such as catheters, heart valves, vascular bypass grafts, implanted ocular lenses, central nervous system shunts, artificial hips and intrauterine devices – have become a common and indispensable part of modern medical care. Infection is the main complication associated with these devices. This volume reviews available information about such infections. There is extensive consideration of the basic science aspects of foreign body infections, including the complex interactions between host, prosthesis and microorganism. The epidemiologic, microbiologic and clinical aspects of the major forms of prosthetic infections are considered in detail. Current concepts of management, including the role of prophylactic antibiotics are considered in detail.