Bacterial Culture, Intravascular Catheter Tip
Test Mnemonic
CTCUL
CPT Codes
- 87077 - QTY (1)
- 87153 - QTY (1)
- 87106 - QTY (1)
- 87181 - QTY (1)
- 87184 - QTY (1)
- 87185 - QTY (1)
- 87186 - QTY (1)
- 87186 - QTY (1)
- 87186 - QTY (1)
- 87186 - QTY (1)
- 87070 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
11475-1
Aliases
- Cath Tip Culture
- Catheter Culture
Performing Laboratory
Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | Catheter | Clean container | Ambient | Aseptically remove catheter and clip 5cm of distal tip directly into a sterile container. |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | 24 hours |
| Frozen | Unacceptable |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
7 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Culture, Identification |
Reference Range
Special Info
Culture performed on intravascular catheter tips (eg, central, CVP, Hickman, Broviac, Peripheral, arterial, umbilical, hyperalimentation, Swan-Ganz). Cleanse skin around catheter site with alcohol. Aseptically remove catheter and clip 5 cm of distal tip directly into a sterile container. If culture is positive, identification will be performed on clinically significant organisms. Antimicrobial susceptibilities are performed when indicated.
Clinical Info
Blood cultures are the essential test for diagnosing catheter-related bacteremia. The clinical relevance of catheter tip cultures is controversial. A positive culture may indicate contamination during removal.