Treatment of central venous catheter fungal infection using liposomal amphotericin-B lock therapy

The current standard of care for a fungal central venous catheter infection in a pediatric patient usually requires removal without any other feasible options. Although removal may reduce the rate of Candida-associated complications, literature reviews question whether the outcomes of removal substantiate this being the standard of care. We report 6 cases of central venous catheter fungal infections treated with liposomal amphotericin-B lock therapy. These cases consisted of 4 patients, 2 of whom received recurrent therapy. In 4 of these cases, there was successful eradication of the infectious fungal agent, allowing continued use of the catheter. A controlled study of antifungal lock therapy should be considered as a potential alternative to removal.