Study Shows Superiority of Venetec's StatLock for Securing Arterial Catheters.

SAN DIEGO -- A newly published study shows that the StatLock Arterial Select catheter securement device, made by Venetec International, reduces dislodgements and unscheduled restarts of arterial catheters by nearly 49 percent -- making patients safer and protecting healthcare workers against accidental needlesticks. The study concluded these benefits could be achieved at essentially no additional cost.

The research by Catharine Stephenson, RN, BSN, CCRN, appears in the Fall 2005 issue of The Journal of the Association of Vascular Access (JAVA). Stephenson is clinical nurse consultant for the critical care areas at Bay Medical Center, in Panama City, Fla.

"This is a landmark study -- the first to prospectively compare methods of securement and actually demonstrate a safer way to secure arterial catheters," said Steve Bierman, M.D., founder and chief medical officer of StatLock maker Venetec International. "The results have profound implications for clinical care of patients with these catheters."

There are 6.9 million arterial catheters placed in the U.S. each year, according to industry analysts' reports.

"Preventing dislodgement and unscheduled restarts of arterial catheters protects patients against rapid, massive hemorrhaging -- which can happen with accidental disconnection and dislodgement, and which further debilitates ICU patients who are already compromised," said Dr. Bierman. "This study demonstrates that StatLock produces significantly better outcomes for critical-care patients and thereby establishes a new and better standard of care for patients undergoing arterial catheterization. All healthcare facilities really should take note."

Arterial catheters are typically placed to monitor patients' blood pressure and assess their arterial blood gas levels. Traditionally, these catheters have been secured with either tape or suture.

In the JAVA study, the unscheduled restart rate for a patient group whose arterial catheters were secured with tape was compared to the rate for patients whose catheters were secured with StatLock. The restart rate for tape-secured catheters was 25 percent. The rate for StatLock-secured catheters was 12.8 percent -- a 48.8 percent improvement.

Because arterial catheters are suture-secured in some clinical settings, the current study also has implications for reducing catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), which are potentially fatal.

Numerous studies show that suture is a frequent cause of CRBSIs. Many studies have demonstrated StatLock's ability to eliminate most of these infections. Eminent researchers have reported that arterial catheters cause bloodstream infections as frequently as do central venous catheters (CVCs). A meta-analysis of several different "novel technologies" concluded that StatLock significantly outperformed all other technologies, including chlorhexidine sponge dressing and silver-impregnated central venous catheters (CVCs). Recognizing this, the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state, "Sutureless securement devices can be advantageous over suture in preventing catheter-related BSIs."

It is estimated that as many as 20,000 patients in the U.S. die annually from CRBSIs associated with CVCs alone. These infections have been shown to prolong hospital stays in the U.S. by a mean of seven days, and cost between $296 million to $2.3 billion annually to treat.

"We were very pleased that StatLock Arterial Select solved all the clinical problems we had with arterial lines," said Stephenson, the JAVA study author. "As someone on the front lines of catheter placement, I see the problems with traditional forms of catheter securement every day. I'm gratified the study showed there is a clinically preferable alternative available. It's also important to note that while materials costs with StatLock instead of tape are essentially the same, the cost of patient complications has been greatly reduced by this device."

Stephenson added that by reducing restarts and replacing suture, StatLock improves needlestick safety, which she said "is an important consideration for healthcare workers."

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes use of catheter securement devices as effective in reducing medical sharps injuries. In fact, OSHA requires U.S. healthcare facilities to annually evaluate use of catheter securement devices to protect their workers.

StatLock is used in more than 2,000 healthcare facilities worldwide, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Cleveland Clinic. Custom StatLock designs are available for peripheral IVs, central venous, PICC, Foley and arterial catheters, as well as virtually all other medical catheters and tubes.

Venetec International is the acknowledged leader in the global catheter securement market. The company has agreements for StatLock usage with many healthcare organizations, including Novation, Premier, Inc., and the Veterans Health Administration. StatLock devices are included in safety infusion systems made by Baxter Healthcare, B. Braun, Arrow International, BD (Becton Dickinson), C.R. Bard, Cook, Inc., Kendall/Tyco, and others.

For more information, call [phone] or access www.StatLock.com.