ga

Skip to content

My Files [0]

These are the files you have added to your collection.

  • You don't have any documents yet, feel free to browse the website and add documents.

CADTH » Search All Products » Environmental Scanning » Health Technology Update » Issue 10 - March 2009 » Central Venous Catheters

Central Venous Catheters

Even small changes in well-established technologies can spur the need for research-based evidence.

The continuing evolution of medical devices can lead to significant changes in health care policies, practices, and procedures, driving the need for evidence to support those changes. Such was the case when the Lloydminster Hospital in Saskatchewan’s Prairie North Health Region considered the adoption of new central venous catheter (CVC) technology. As staff at Lloydminster worked on a new education package and procedures for CVCs, they wondered if there was a positive pressure cap that could be used with both valved and non-valved CVCs. Lorna Hoglander, a Clinical Educator at Lloydminster, turned to CADTH’s Health Technology Inquiry Service (HTIS) for the answer.

“I found the exact information I was looking for on the link HTIS provided,” said Lorna. “The quick response from your people was very impressive.”

The information included not only the answer the Lloydminster staff required, but also the background behind the long-established technology. With CVCs, tubes are inserted into large veins to deliver medication or nutrition, or monitor a patient’s hemodynamic status. In 1991, as infusion technology evolved, manufacturers developed needleless connectors for CVCs — a significant step in safeguarding health care workers from needlestick injuries and blood-borne pathogen exposure. Needleless access devices have become integral components of infusion systems today, but they’re not without issues.

Following their introduction, patient safety concerns arose, among them increased risk of infection that could lead to prolonged hospital stay or, in some cases, death. In working to address this issue, manufacturers developed a number of solutions, including positive pressure caps which keep the blood from entering the tip of a catheter when a syringe is disconnected.