SECTION A: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) is most commonly considered for adjunctive treatment of bacteremia associated with central venous catheters (CVC).
• ALT can also be considered for prophylaxis of bacteremia for certain populations.

SECTION B: ANTIBIOTIC LOCK THERAPY (ALT)

• KEY CONCEPTS
  • ALT is most commonly used for adjunctive treatment of bacteremia associated with CVC when the CVC is not removed.
  • Prophylactic use of ALT may be considered for select patients, e.g. patients deemed at high risk for recurrent bloodstream infection.
  • is not intended to be administered via the routes of IV infusion or IV push.
  • dwell time is 4-24 hours. Duration of dwell time should not exceed 24 hours (see IV: Dwell Time and Exchange Frequency).
• PATIENT ELIGIBILITY
• associated with central venous catheter (CVC)
• Prophylaxis for recurrent blood stream infections (BSIs) in high-risk patients
• Prior to intiatiating ALT, all ALT candidates require consultation and approval by Infectious Diseases Consult Service
• CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) for ALT-containing heparin. Gentamicin lock is an exception as it does not contain heparin.
  • Allergy to any component in the lock.
  • or religious exclusion to ingestion of pork components if lock contains heparin.  Gentamicin lock is an exception as it does not contain heparin.
  • Catheter tunnel or exit site infect.
• ALT Doses
  • ALT recipes listed in Appendix C
  • Other antibiotic locks may be considered per Infectious Diseases as needed

• Catheter and Volume Selection

• Dwell Time and Exchange Frequency
  1. Range of dwell time is 4-24 hours.  Duration of dwell time should not exceed 24 hours.  Lock solution should generally remain in place (dwelling) whenever the affected line/lumen is not in use.  The number of ALT exchanges per day should be coordinated between pharmacy and the RN.
  2. Pharmacy and nursing should work to cluster required medications and/or lab draw times to minimize catheter use and maximize ALT dwell times.

• PHARMACY OPERATIONS
  • to send 2 mL of antibiotic lock solution in a 10 mL syringe for each lumen of a PICC, Tunneled or Non-Tunneled Central catheter (e.g. Broviac)
  • to send 5 mL of antibiotic lock solution in a 10 mL syringe for each lumen of an implanted Vascular Access Ports (e.g. Port-A-Cath)
  • Heparinized antibiotic locks to be formulated with normal saline only.
  • Room temperature (23-25˚C).
  • Label warnings: For antibiotic lock therapy into CVC lumen only

• NURSING ADMINISTRATION
  • To place antibiotic lock therapy:
    1. patient and procedure using 2 patient identifiers.
    2. hand hygiene. Don clean gloves.
    3. Vigorously scrub the needleless connector for 10 seconds with alcohol pad and allow to dry for 10 seconds.
    4. If ALT in place, attach a 10 mL syringe and aspirate volume of lock plus 1-2 mLs to remove any clots at the tip. Remove syringe and discard. Repeat step 3. If no ALT in place, proceed to step 5.
    5. a pre-filled normal saline syringe and flush CVC with 10mL of normal saline; remove and discard syringe.
    6. Vigorously scrub the needleless connector for 10 seconds with alcohol pad and allow to dry for 10 seconds.
    7. ALT syringe onto injection cap.
    8. Instill ALT solution to fill CVC lumen. Remove empty syringe.
    9. Clamp catheter and allow antibiotic lock to dwell 4 hours minimum.  Longer dwell times are considered better.  Notify ID and the primary service if not able to dwell minimum of 4 hours per 24 hour period.

• Label the CVC lumen that has the lock instilled in it: “ DO NOT USE- Antibiotic Lock In Place”
• in APeX which line and/or lumen has an antibiotic lock; lumen color/locality should be entered as a comment in the lock administration on the eMAR.
• Attach a pre-filled normal saline syringe and flush CVC with 10mL of normal saline; then remove and discard syringe.
• Vigorously scrub the needleless connector for 10 seconds with alcohol pad and allow to dry for 10 seconds
  1. IF instilling a subsequent day/dose ALT, return to step a6.
  2. IF utilizing the lumen for an infusion, attach tubing per procedure.
  3. IF ALT therapy complete and no needed infusions, heparinize catheter per provider order.
• Guideline Working Group

Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Lead Pharmacist(s): Steve Grapentine PharmD, BCPS, APP & Alex Hilts-Horeczko PharmD

Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Medical Director: Sarah Doernberg MD, MAS

Clinical Content Advisor: Kathy Yang PharmD, MPH

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Laura Griffith RN, MSN, AOCNS

Nursing Informatics: Craig Johnson RN-BC, MSN, FNP

Pharmacy Student: Sharon Xu Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, 2021

• Guideline History:

Initial Guideline Developed and Approved by the Pharmacy and Therapuetics Committee: 12/2020
Minor revision in verbiage: 01/2023

See PDF of guideline (linked above) for lock recipes.

References

• Bookstaver PB, Rokas KE, Norris LB, Edwards JM, Sherertz RJ. Stability and compatibility of antimicrobial lock solutions. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2013;70(24):2185-98.
• Bookstaver, B., & Justo, J. A. (2014). Antibiotic lock therapy: review of technique and logistical challenges. Infection and Drug Resistance, 343. https://doi.org/10.2147/idr.s51388
• Carratalà J. Role of antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infection. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2001;7 Suppl 4:83-90.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections, 2011. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/bsi-guidelines-2011.pdf. Accessed June 8, 2018.
• Cote D, Lok CE, Battistella M et al. Stability of Trisodium Citrate and Gentamicin Solution for Catheter Locks after Storage in Plastic Syringes at Room Temperature. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2010; 63:304-11.
• Haimi-Cohen Y, Husain N, Meenan J, et al. Vancomycin and ceftazidime bioactivities persist for at least 2 weeks in the lumen in ports: simplifying treatment of port-associated bloodstream infections by using the antibiotic lock technique. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2001;45(5):1565-7.
• Justo JA, Bookstaver PB. Antibiotic lock therapy: review of technique and logistical challenges. Infect Drug Resist. 2014;7:343-63.
• LA, Allon M, et al. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of intravascular catheter-related infections 2009 update. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2009;49:1-45.
• M. University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Guidelines for Anti-Infective Lock Solutions. Approved 1/2011.
• Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Antibiotic Lock Therapy Guideline. Reviewed 01/2015.
• Yokoyama H, Aoyama T, et al. The cause of polyurethane catheter cracking during constant infusion of etoposide (VP-16) injection. Yakagaku Zasshi. 1998;118:581-