Prospective SecurAcath Subcutaneous Securement Trial

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and Central Venous Catheter (CVC) are widely used to deliver fluids directly to the central venous system and can remain in place for as short as a few days to as long as months. One of the highest risks in the use of these catheters is infection, both local and systemic. Currently, these catheters are secured by either sutures or adhesive patches. Sutures can create additional potential entry points for bacteria whereas both sutures and adhesive securement patches hold the catheter hub to the skin resulting in increased difficulty cleaning around the catheter entry site. Furthermore, securing a catheter outside the skin away from the catheter entry point, as with sutures or adhesive securement patches may potentiate pistoning of the catheter which is also believed to possibly increase infection risks. A second risk of intravenous catheter use is dislodgement during normal use and site maintenance. These catheters are often manipulated multiple times a day for blood sampling or injection of fluids. During manipulation, the catheter can be dislodged thus requiring an unplanned replacement of the catheter. Interrad Medical has developed a means to secure indwelling catheters using a small subcutaneous anchor. With this system, cleaning around the catheter entry site is made easier and can be more thorough. The system is also designed to minimize the risk of catheter dislodgement because once the anchor is deployed, the catheter remains secured. This may simplify dressing changes compared to adhesive devices such as Statlock, which requires the catheter be released from the device and therefore be unsecured during dressing changes. The objective of this post-market study is to monitor the safety and performance of the SecurAcath when used to secure the catheter to the insertion site via a subcutaneous anchor. The data collected may provide insight for future enhancements to improve the safety and utility of the device. It also provides a means for an early warning of any identified safety issues, and allows physicians to share their experiences thereby improve the quality of care provided to the patients.