Effect of a Bundle of Interventions on the Outcomes of Patients With Intracranial Devices (ICP Monitor e EVD)

Non-randomized clinical trial conducted in the adult ICUs of Brazilian hospitals participating in the IMPACTO MR Platform, involving adult patients using an intracranial pressure monitoring catheter device or external ventricular drain. The study will test the hypothesis that the intervention bundle, following ANVISA recommendations for care practices, will reduce the rates of central nervous system infections associated with ICP and EVD devices. This reduction is expected to lead to more accurate diagnoses, decreased antibiotic usage, shortened ICU and hospital stays, and reduced hospital costs.

IMPACTO MR is a research platform that originated as a prospective and collaborative observational study collecting clinical, microbiological, and cost data from patients admitted to Brazilian adult ICUs during the three-year periods 2018-2020 and 2021-2023. Data were collected from all adult patients admitted to the ICUs of at least 61 hospitals selected for the platform. This project aims to collect data from approximately 20 participating hospitals that perform neurosurgical procedures involving external ventricular drain catheter implantation and intracranial pressure monitoring, with the goal of establishing national data on the prevalence of these conditions. The first phase of the study will involve completing data collection for the prospective cohort conducted between 2022 and 2023. This cohort is part of the IMPACTO MR: Device-related central nervous system infections in adult intensive care units in Brazil - Action Plan Support Project Platform National Prevention and Control of Antimicrobial Resistance) with the same hospitals. This will represent the baseline incidence of central nervous system infections related to devices and care practices for patients with intracranial pressure monitoring catheters and external ventricular drains. The data will include information on risk factors, care processes, and clinical management in suspected central nervous system infections related to these devices. In the second phase of the study, an intervention bundle will be implemented to prevent infections and improve care processes in these ICUs progressively. Diagnostic site visits will be conducted at hospitals to support the construction of this intervention bundle, and all participating hospitals will receive continuous training to facilitate measurement of results. The intervention bundle will be based on ANVISA recommendations for controlling healthcare-associated infections. Currently, the recommendations are based on the care to be followed from pre-operative to post-operative stages, including the use of checklists with daily goals, recommendations for dressing care, catheter handling, and treatment in the presence of infection. The intervention bundle will be developed by a minimum team of doctors and nurses from the coordinating hospital. After conducting a situational diagnosis, this team will develop care protocols, checklists with daily goals, and training materials for the participating centers. Throughout the project, systematic feedback meetings will be held to monitor action plans, both remotely and, if necessary, in person. The intervention will be implemented within each hospital until the proposed sample size is attained.