Anaphylaxis to chlorhexidine-coated central venous catheters: a case series and review of the literature.

Anaphylactic reactions to chlorhexidine are rare but are being reported increasingly in association with a variety of products. We report three cases of anaphylaxis to chlorhexidine in patients presenting for cardiac surgery. In each case, anaphylaxis was precipitated by the insertion of a central venous catheter impregnated with chlorhexidine acetate. Subsequent investigations confirmed chlorhexidine as the causal agent. Extensive use of chlorhexidine to reduce hospital-acquired infections has the potential to sensitize a small proportion of patients, leading to life-threatening anaphylaxis on subsequent exposure.