Test Overview
Culture
Isolation and identification of potentially pathogenic organisms.
No growth
* Reference ranges may change over time. Please refer to the original patient report when evaluating results.
If the specimen is refrigerated, reduced recovery of fastidious pathogens is possible.
Test Details
Preliminary results are reported in 18-24 hours. Catheter tip cultures are reported negative after 3 days.
- Aerobic Culture, Intravenous Catheter Tip
- Catheter Tip, Routine Culture
- Culture, Catheter Tip
- Aerobic Culture, Shunt Tip
- Aerobic Culture, Ventriculostomy Shunt Tip
- Aerboic Culture, Epidural Shunt Tip
Specimen Requirements
Specimen type: CVP, intravenous catheter tip, shunt tip, epidural shunt tip, or ventriculostomy shunt tip. Blood cultures should be collected at the same time catheter tip is submitted. Remove catheter aseptically from patient. Use sterile scissors to cut off 2-3 inches of catheter tip and place in sterile container. Avoid contamination with normal flora from skin. Indicate current antibiotic therapy and clinical diagnosis.
Incubate: No
Refrigerated:Up to 12 hrs
Frozen: No
Additional Information
Test includes culture of catheter tip. Any isolated organisms are quantified and identified presumptively. Test includes susceptibility testing of potentially pathogenic organism(s) at an additional charge unless specifically declined.