Bacteremia following T-tube cholangiography: Injection by hand versus gravity-infusion technique

Twenty-four patients were evaluated to determine if the method of performing T-tube cholangiography had bearing on the development of bacteremia. Fifteen patients underwent cholangiography after hand injection (HI) of contrast medium and 12 patients cholangiogrpahy after gravity infusion of contrast medium. In three patients both techniques were used. Injection pressures were monitored and blood and bile samples were obtained for culture. In four of the 11 patients (36%) in the HI group who were not taking antibiotics, pathogens were cultured from blood drawn immediately after cholangiographic. The remaining four patients in this group were taking antibiotics and had negative blood cultures. None of the 12 patients in the GI group had positive blood cultures. There was a correlation between the higher injection pressures generated using the HI technique and positive blood cultures