Foreign Body Culture

Explant, Catheter, Pacemaker, Foreign, Object, Sonication, IUD, intrauterine device, sonication

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB224

Department

Microbiology

Instructions

• Use for culture of intravenous catheter tips and explanted medical devices.
• Intrauterine devices will be cultured anaerobically to rule out Actinomyces sp. only.
• This culture is not appropriate for foreign objects not associated with iatrogenic infections (e.g. objects associated with traumatic injury such as bullet fragments).
• Foley catheter tips, chest tubes tips, or abdominal drainage tips are not acceptable specimen types.
• If sonication is specifically desired, note this in the comments.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: Catheter tip or medical device in a sterile collection container.

• Aseptically remove catheter. Holding the distal end over a sterile container, cut the tip with sterile scissors, dropping the last 2 to 3 inches into the container. Avoid drying by sealing the tube.
• Medical devices should be aseptically or surgically removed and placed in a sterile container or double-bagged in sterile bags (do not use biohazard bags).
• Submit to the Laboratory immediately after collection.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Maintain specimens refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F), in a sterile collection container, prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Cath tip or medical device in a sterile collection container, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Rejection Criteria

• Specimens in a non-sterile or leaking containers.
• Specimens received outside of stability.
• Foley catheter tips.
• Chest tube tips.
• Abdominal drainage tips.
• Catheter tips placed in saline or transport media.
• Objects placed in containers that contain or have contained formalin.
• Foreign objects removed from the patient’s body that were not placed during a medical procedure.

Inpatient Specimen Preparation

• Transport specimens to the Laboratory immediately after collection for processing
• Large medical devices (e.g. explanted prosthetic joints) will be sonicated prior to inoculation.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 24 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 24 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days

Medical devices will be held refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) for at least 1 month.

Laboratory

Royal Oak Microbiology Laboratory

Performed

Sunday – Saturday, 24 hours a day.
Preliminary results available within 24 hours.
Final negative results available in 4 days.

Reference Range

No organisms recovered.

Test Methodology

Conventional procedures for Gram stain, aerobic culture and identification, susceptibility testing (if indicated).

Interpretation

The recovery of microorganisms from an appropriate, properly collected specimen may be indicative of an infectious disease process.

Clinical Utility

This test is used to recover and identify aerobic bacteria that may be involved in human infections.

Reference

1. Baron. 2015. Specimen Collection, Transport and Processing: Bacteriology. Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 11^th ed., American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C. pp. 228-271.

CPT Codes

87070

Contacts

Last Updated

10/31/2025