ABSTRACT
In infection control, as in other areas of risk management, interventions may be prioritised according to two factors: The likelihood of the adverse event (infection), and the consequences if it does occur. While infection is uncommon in both coronary and electrophysiological procedures, the consequences can be severe, ranging from ruptured mycotic aneurysms from infected femoral closure devices, to complete device removal and prolonged antibiotic therapy for infected endocardiac leads. This chapter describes how the scientific basis of infection prevention has evolved in the last two decades from the flimsy foundations of expert opinion and biological plausibility, to high quality observational – and in some cases randomized – data. While infection prevention is a responsibility of every healthcare worker, units with sound management, training, equipment, environment, and infection prevention protocols will be best placed to manage these important clinical and reputational risks.
