The DRIP Trial

Most hospitals re-site peripheral intravenous catheters in adults every 72-96 hours, based on current Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines. This is at odds with regimes for children, and critically ill patients, where cannulas are only re-sited when clinically indicated. Recent prospective surveillance studies have demonstrated the safety of longer dwell times but these observations have not been validated in adults, using randomised controlled trial methodology. The primary aim of the present study is to compare the rates of peripheral catheter-related local infection, phlebitis and obstruction between two groups of patients - those having routine catheter changes every 72 hours and those having catheter changes only when clinically indicated.