NICE is consulting on draft guidance covering an innovative device to hold catheters in place securely while reducing the risk of infection.
The draft medical technologies guidance proposes to recommend the use of the 3M Tegaderm CHG IV securement dressing for catheters inserted into central veins and arteries.
Using catheters in providing treatment or monitoring is a common procedure and it’s important that they can be held in place securely while minimising infection risk to the patient
Catheters are thin tubes put into the body which can be used to deliver liquids such as antibiotics or other drugs, so avoiding the need for frequent needle injections.
Tegaderm CHG dressing is a sterile transparent semipermeable polyurethane adhesive dressing, with an integrated gel pad containing the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine gluconate, which is a widely used antiseptic and disinfectant. The draft guidance says that the Tegaderm CHG dressing should be considered for use in critically-ill patients who need a central venous or arterial catheter in intensive care or high-dependency units.
The device manufacturer claims that the benefits of the Tegaderm CHG dressing include a 60% reduction in the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection in critical care patients with intravascular catheters, and reduced risk of death from this type of infection.
Professor Carole Longson MBE, director of the NICE centre for health technology evaluation, said: “Using catheters in providing treatment or monitoring is a common procedure and it’s important that they can be held in place securely while minimising infection risk to the patient. This draft guidance, developed by the independent Medical Technologies Advisory Committee, proposes recommending the use of the 3M Tegaderm CHG IV securement dressing for catheters inserted into central veins and arteries. The draft guidance notes that this transparent technology enables the catheter insertion site to be seen clearly, and also provides antiseptic coverage.
The draft guidance notes that this transparent technology enables the catheter insertion site to be seen clearly, and also provides antiseptic coverage
“Bloodstream infections linked to central venous catheters increase patient illness and increase costs for intensive care units. For hospitals and units which have a moderate rate of baseline catheter-related bloodstream infection, this technology could save an estimated £73 per patient instead of using a standard transparent semipermeable dressing. For hospitals and units with very low rates of infection, they are likely to incur the cost of the dressing. We welcome comments on the draft guidance during this consultation.”
