Sterile Sites

For pacemaker infections - see Heart Valves and Pacing Wires

Prosthetic device samples will be inoculated into blood culture bottles and incubated for 10 days.

Further testing can include fungal, Nocardia and Mycobacterial culture. Discuss with Microbiology medical staff if required.

Sample type

Surface or sinus swabs are generally not useful and will not be processed if received with five or more tissue samples

Bone, tissue and fluids are preferable and should be taken before starting antimicrobial therapy

A maximum of five samples per patient are processed, unless they are all from different sites, in which case they will all be processed

Use separate sterile instruments for each sample

Send in a sterile universal container clearly labelled with the site for each sample

N/A

Daily

11 days

Prosthetic / metal work MCS

Last reviewed:17 February 2023