We studied the cause of cracking of clinically used polyurethane (PU) catheters during the constant infusion of etoposide (VP-16) injection (Lastet inj.) without dilution. After the vehicles used for VP-16 injection, ethanol or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), were infused into the PU catheters at a constant infusion rate (30 ml/h) for 24 h, obvious degradation of the internal wall of the cath...

Acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) are chemical signals that mediate population density-dependent (quorum-sensing) gene expression in numerous gram-negative bacteria. In this study, gram-negative bacilli isolated from catheters were screened for AHL production by a cross-feeding assay utilizing an AHL-responsive Agrobacterium tumefaciens reporter strain. Positive reactions were obtained from 1...

INTRODUCTION Detrusor sphincter dyssynergia affects 70% to 80% of all spinal cord injury patients, resulting in increased risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and potential exposure to antimicrobial resistance. In Brazil, local guidelines recommend intermittent catheterization as the best method for bladder emptying, and two catheter types are available: the conventional uncoated PVC and the...

BACKGROUND Respiratory muscle function and lung and chest wall mechanics are reliably assessed by esophageal and gastric balloon catheters. The aim of this in vitro bench study was to assess the mechanical properties of commercially available balloon catheters using an experimental model with 3 defined compliances (27, 54, 90 mL/cm H2O). METHODS Six catheters were investigated in 4 conditions...

OBJECTIVES Staphylococcus aureus infections associated with indwelling devices can be very difficult to treat due to the recalcitrant nature of bacterial biofilms to conventional antibiotics. Lysostaphin has been shown to clear S. aureus biofilms in vitro, and in this study we determined whether lysostaphin could also eradicate established S. aureus biofilms on implanted jugular vein catheters ...

Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) is a validated and widely accepted method to investigate changes in arterial dimension over time. Calibration of measurements is enabled by the use of the coronary catheter as a scaling device. The dimensions and laminar composition of coronary catheters, however, have changed significantly over recent years and the suitability of the current generation o...

OBJECTIVE Complications of intravenous catheters remain a major contributor to health care costs and are a patient safety problem. An intravenous catheter not actively in use-an idle catheter-may increase the risk of infectious and noninfectious complications. We conducted an integrative review of the available literature to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with id...

Effective immobilization of the peritoneal catheter has repeatedly been associated with positive catheter-related outcomes. This single-center retrospective community study compared infectious complication rates for peritoneal catheters that exit from a highly mobile structure (the abdomen) with rates for catheters exiting from a structure with minimal associated motion (the chest). Data were c...

BACKGROUND Deposition of proteins on surfaces of medical devices has been recognized to putatively relate to the process of regulation of biomaterial-associated complications by attachment of fibrin clots, eukaryotic cells, and microbes. The molecules adsorb to a varying extent, depending not only on the physicochemical properties of the biomaterial, but also on the composition of the host flui...

A working vascular access is essential for performing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) efficiently and without interruption. Dual-lumen temporary hemodialysis catheters are the catheters of choice, although tunneled catheters can also be utilized if therapy is expected to be prolonged. Hemodialysis catheters have to be inserted under ultrasound guidance by trained personnel, using as...