ReviewNeurosurgery practice2026
Effect of Care Bundle Approaches on External Ventricular Drainage-Related Infection: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Neurosurgery practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesExternal ventricular drainage (EVD) care bundle approaches are associated with reduced infection rates after EVD insertion. However, awareness and standardization of such protocols remain limited, and the current literature is sparse and has a high variability in analysis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of appropriate studies to identify the key components of an effective EVD care bundle for reducing EVD-related infections (ERIs).
methodsA systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify any studies presenting patient cohorts undergoing EVD placement and reporting the introduction of bundle care protocols including postoperative infection rates. Major scientific databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus) were systematically searched for studies published up to December 31, 2024. Studies were screened, and data were extracted independently by 2 authors.
resultsTwenty-eight studies were included for analysis. ERI rates before and after the implementation of care bundle protocols were observed. Different care bundles were identified and categorized as follows: insertion bundles, manipulation bundles, dressing bundles, and others. Although the literature concerning the implementation of care bundles for ERI is deemed poor, our results show a significant reduction in the postoperative ERI rates; a meta-analysis of the studies comparing cohorts before and after the implementation of care bundle protocols reveals significant differences in the postoperative infection rate after EVD placement (odds ratio 3.70, 95% CI 2.89-4.74,
conclusionImplementation of care bundle approaches for EVD insertion is associated with a significant reduction in ERIs. The implementation of care bundle approaches and the strict knowledge, training, and adherence to these protocols permit a standardization of the procedure and a better postoperative management diminishing complication rates. The available evidence supports the broader adoption of care bundle protocols as a new standard of care in clinical practice.
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