Antibiotic-Impregnated Lumbar Catheters for LP and Drainage
Antibiotic-impregnated lumbar catheters for LP shunts and external lumbar drainage: DESU kits, dimensions, 28-day release and how to read the product codes.
DESU offers antibiotic-impregnated catheters for both lumbar routes: implanted lumboperitoneal (LP) shunting and external lumbar drainage. Each keeps the 0.8/1.6 mm diameters, silicone, tantalum marks and 24 drainage holes of the standard lumbar catheter. It is orange rather than white, and the antibiotic is impregnated into the material and released in a controlled manner over 28 days.
Key takeaways
- DESU offers antibiotic-impregnated lumbar catheters for both LP shunting and external lumbar drainage.
- Diameters, silicone, tantalum marks and 24 drainage holes match the standard catheter; the colour is orange.
- The 28 days describes antibiotic release, not how long a catheter may stay in place.
- The codes look alike (LACK, LPACK, ELACK-1608800, LACK-ENDS-020), so order by route and description.
Whether to use an impregnated catheter is a matter for the surgeon, the hospital’s protocol and the instructions for use (IFU).
What is an antibiotic-impregnated lumbar catheter?
It is a silicone lumbar catheter with the antibiotic carried in the catheter material itself, rather than applied to the surface. Release is controlled over 28 days, and the impregnated catheter keeps the basic dimensions and drainage structure of the standard one.
For what changes between the two versions across the range, see antibiotic-impregnated vs standard catheters.
Where does the option appear in the DESU range?
Five product lines carry a lumbar catheter, and each has a standard and an impregnated code:
| Product | Route | Main contents | Standard code | Impregnated code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumbar catheter kit | LP shunt | 100 cm lumbar catheter | LCK | LACK |
| Lumboperitoneal catheter kit | LP shunt | 100 cm lumbar and 120 cm peritoneal catheters | LPCK | LPACK |
| Depus LP shunt kit | LP shunt | Depus valve, lumbar and peritoneal catheters | LPDP-L/M/H-LTCK | LPDP-L/M/H-LTACK |
| Lumbar drainage catheter kit | External drainage | 80 cm lumbar drainage catheter | ELCK | ELACK-1608800 |
| EVD-020 with lumbar catheter | External drainage | Lumbar catheter with the EVD-020 drainage system | LCK-ENDS-020 | LACK-ENDS-020 |
The first three lines are for implanted shunting; the last two end in an external system. The standard lumbar catheter kit comes with a 14 G Tuohy needle, guidewire and fixation part. The lumboperitoneal catheter kit has the same application parts with a 120 cm peritoneal catheter added, and the impregnated configuration keeps that kit structure.
How do LP shunting and lumbar drainage differ for the catheter?
In an LP shunt, CSF is diverted from the lumbar subarachnoid space to the peritoneal cavity through an implanted pathway, and the catheter stays in the body. In external lumbar drainage, CSF leaves the body through the catheter and passes to an external system with a measuring scale, drip chamber and bag, and the arrangement is temporary.
The kits reflect that difference. The lumbar drainage catheter kit has a shorter 80 cm catheter and adds an angled trocar, a Luer Lock connector and a distal cap. The diameters do not change, and the catheter has the same 24 drainage holes in four rows of six and tantalum marks from 5 to 20 cm. Our article on EVD-020 with a lumbar catheter explains how one drainage system serves both routes.
What exactly is impregnated in an LP system?
An LP system has more than one component, and the answer differs by product:
- Lumboperitoneal catheter kit: in the antibiotic-impregnated system the lumbar catheter is impregnated, and the peritoneal catheter is an antibiotic-impregnated option. State on the order whether you want both.
- Depus LP shunt kits: the catheters are standard or antibiotic-impregnated, and the LTACK codes pair a low, medium or high pressure Depus valve with an impregnated LP catheter system. Impregnation applies to the catheters.
- External lumbar drainage: the catheter is impregnated. The drainage components, including the line, scale, chamber and bag, are the same as in the standard system.
How does the 28-day release relate to each route?
The 28 days describes how long the antibiotic is released from the material. It is not a dwell time, a replacement schedule or a guarantee.
On an LP shunt, the catheter is implanted for the long term, so the release period ends while the catheter stays in place. On external lumbar drainage, the clinical team decides how long the drain remains, according to the patient and the protocol. In both cases, the IFU is the reference for contraindications and sensitivities. We make no claim about infection rates.
How can you avoid ordering the wrong lumbar item?
The impregnated codes look alike because several contain the same letters. LACK is the lumbar catheter item, LPACK belongs to the LP kit, ELACK-1608800 is the external drainage catheter and LACK-ENDS-020 is a whole drainage system. A few habits prevent mix-ups:
- Decide the route first: LP shunt or external drainage.
- Then decide the scope: catheter item, catheter kit, shunt kit with valve, or full drainage system.
- Write the description next to the code on every order, never the code alone.
- For Depus LP kits, state the pressure: L, M or H.
- At receiving and again before opening, check the code against the order and the colour against the version: orange for impregnated, white for standard.
What should a hospital protocol specify?
If a unit intends to use impregnated lumbar catheters, the protocol should say so per route, because an LP shunt and a lumbar drain may be ordered by different teams and kept in different places. It helps to name which cases call for the impregnated version, who approves it, where each version is stored, and how the version is recorded in the patient’s notes.
Talk to a DESU product specialist
For product codes, kit contents or a list covering both lumbar routes, write to sales@desu.tr, use the contact page or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is the antibiotic on the surface of the lumbar catheter?
No. In DESU catheters the antibiotic is impregnated into the silicone material itself. That is why these catheters are described as antibiotic-impregnated.
Can an impregnated lumbar catheter be ordered without a valve?
Yes. LACK and LPACK are catheter products with no valve, and ELACK-1608800 is the external drainage catheter. Depus LP kits with LTACK codes include the valve.
Does the impregnated version change how the catheter looks on imaging?
The impregnated lumbar catheters keep the same radiopaque silicone construction and tantalum length marks as the standard version, so position can still be followed under imaging. The visible difference is the colour: orange instead of white.
Is the EVD-020 line itself antibiotic-impregnated?
No. Impregnation applies to the catheter connected to the EVD-020 system, not to the reinforced line, scale, drip chamber or bag.
Related standards
- ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems
- ISO 10993 series: Biological evaluation of medical devices