Antibiotic-Impregnated Catheters: Receiving and Identifying
How to identify antibiotic-impregnated catheters on receipt: orange and white colour coding, DESU reference codes, and the shunt kits where colour falls short.
To identify DESU antibiotic-impregnated catheters on receipt, use the label first and colour second. Impregnated catheters are orange and standard ones white, and the reference code confirms which version was supplied. Colour alone is not enough, because some shunt products combine an impregnated valve body with white catheters.
Key takeaways
- Impregnated catheters are orange and standard ones white, and the two versions have identical dimensions.
- The label and reference code are the receiving check; a sterile pack is never opened to inspect a catheter.
- In most DESU codes an added “A” marks the impregnated version, and some codes differ by that one letter.
- An impregnated valve body can sit alongside white catheters, so colour alone cannot identify every shunt product.
Hospital stores, receiving staff and OR or ICU nurses can use the checks below alongside the label, the instructions for use (IFU) and hospital procedure. For what actually differs between the two versions, see antibiotic-impregnated vs standard catheters.
Why do impregnated catheters need their own receiving check?
Because nothing except the impregnation and the colour separates them from their standard versions. The diameters, length, tantalum marks and drainage holes are the same. In impregnated catheters the antibiotic is impregnated into the material and released in a controlled manner over 28 days, but that is not something a person can see or measure at a goods-in desk.
A hospital protocol may name one version for certain patients or procedures, so a swap at receiving can reach the OR or the ICU unnoticed. The check takes little time, and it is much easier at the stores than in theatre.
What should receiving staff compare?
Three documents should agree: the purchase order line, the delivery note and the label on each pack. For each line, check:
- Reference code: compare character by character instead of reading the description.
- Quantity and pack count against the order.
- Lot number and use-by date, recorded the way the hospital’s system requires.
- Condition of the packaging, including wet, crushed or torn packs.
If the label and the order disagree, hold the item in a marked quarantine area and contact the supplier. Staff should never relabel a pack or correct the record to fit what arrived.
Which codes identify an impregnated product?
In most DESU codes an added letter A marks the impregnated version. The table shows the common pairs.
| Product | Standard code | Antibiotic-impregnated code |
|---|---|---|
| Ventricular catheter kit | SVCK | ASVCK |
| Peritoneal catheter kit | SPCK | ASPCK |
| Ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit | SVPCK | ASVPCK |
| Lumbar catheter kit | LCK | LACK |
| Lumbar drainage catheter kit | ELCK | ELACK-1608800 |
| EVD-010 with ventricular catheter | ENDS-C-010 | ENDS-AC-010 |
| EVD-020 with ventricular catheter | ENDS-C-020 | ENDS-AC-020 |
| EVD-020 with lumbar catheter | LCK-ENDS-020 | LACK-ENDS-020 |
Because LCK and LACK differ by one letter, a quick glance is easy to get wrong. Treat the table as a guide to the pattern, and use your order confirmation as the reference. The ventricular catheter kit, lumbar drainage catheter kit and EVD-010 Series pages each list their codes.
EVD catheters ordered on their own have codes of their own: EVDCK-1530310 is the standard 1.5 mm by 3.0 mm, 31 cm catheter and EVDACK-1530310 its impregnated version. The antisiphon device and the straight, L-type and Y-type connectors have no impregnated version, so an order line that implies one should be queried.
Where does colour help, and where does it stop?
Colour is at its most useful once a catheter is on the tray: a scrub nurse can see at once that an orange catheter is the impregnated version. It also gives a second check at the point of use, against what the label said.
It has limits at receiving. A sterile pack is never opened to look at the catheter, and whether the colour can be seen through the packaging should not be assumed. Staff work from the label, and the colour confirms it later.
The same applies to EVD sets. The impregnated EVD-010 combines the standard drainage system with an impregnated catheter, so the line, scale, chamber and bag give no clue to which version it is.
Why is shunt identification harder?
Shunt products have two parts that can be impregnated, the valve body and the catheters, and the colour rule covers catheters only. Colour does not identify an impregnated valve body, so the code has to do that job. The examples below show why.
| Configuration | Valve body | Catheters | Example code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard VP kit | Standard | White | DFS-M-VCK |
| Semi-antibiotic kit | Standard | Orange | DFS-M-VACK |
| Full-antibiotic kit | Impregnated | Orange | ADFR-M-VACK |
| Impregnated body with standard VP kit | Impregnated | White | ADP-A-VCK |
| Impregnated valve alone | Impregnated | None supplied | ADFS-M |
Two readings follow. VACK in a code marks the impregnated catheter kit, and VCK the standard one. A leading A on the valve part, as in ADFR or ADP, marks the impregnated valve body. ADP-A-VCK, an adjustable paediatric Depus shunt with an impregnated body and a standard kit, is the case to remember: its catheters are white, yet the product is not fully standard.
The differences between these configurations are covered in semi-antibiotic vs full-antibiotic shunt kits.
How should impregnated stock be shelved?
Storage conditions come from the label. For day-to-day handling, separation is what helps:
- Give each reference code its own labelled shelf position or bin, and keep standard and impregnated versions apart.
- Show the code on the shelf label as well as the description, so that picking and receiving use the same reference.
- Rotate stock so that the earliest use-by date goes first within each code.
- Scan or record the code at the point of use, so that the patient record shows which version was used.
Talk to a DESU product specialist
If you need a code list for your stores system or want to confirm a delivery, our product specialists can help. Write to sales@desu.tr, use the contact page, or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can a catheter’s colour replace checking the label?
No. Colour is a second check once the catheter can be seen. The reference code and lot number on the label remain the record of what was supplied.
Are the catheters in an antibiotic-impregnated VP kit both orange?
Yes. In the antibiotic-impregnated VP catheter kit, both the ventricular and the peritoneal catheter are impregnated, so both are orange.
Do impregnated products have the same dimensions as standard ones?
Yes for the catheters. Both versions have the same inner diameter, outer diameter and length, for example 1.3 mm, 2.5 mm and 23 cm for the ventricular catheter.
Where can staff get details of the antibiotic in a product?
The IFU is the reference for product composition and precautions. Our product specialists can also supply documentation on request through sales@desu.tr.
Related standards
- ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems
- ISO 15223-1: Medical devices — Symbols to be used with information to be supplied by the manufacturer