Central venous access device (CVAD) associated complications are a preventable source of patient harm, frequently resulting in morbidity and delays to vital treatment. Dressing and securement products are used to prevent infectious and mechanical complications, however current complication rates suggest customary practices are inadequate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of launching a full-scale randomized controlled efficacy trial of innovative dressing and securement products for pediatric tunneled CVAD to prevent complication and failure.
The primary outcome of study feasibility was established by elements of eligibility, recruitment, attrition, protocol adherence, missing data, parent and healthcare staff satisfaction and acceptability, and effect size estimates for CVAD failure (cessation of function prior to completion of treatment) and complication (associated bloodstream infection, thrombosis, breakage, dislodgement or occlusion). Dressing integrity, product costs and site complications were also examined.
The authors concluded that improving the security and dressing integrity of tunneled CVADs is likely to improve outcomes for pediatric patients.
Further research is necessary to identify novel, effective CVAD securement to reduce complications, and provide reliable vascular access for children.
Authors : Amanda J. Ullman1,2*, Tricia Kleidon2,3, Victoria Gibson2,3, Craig A. McBride2,4,5, Gabor Mihala2,5,6, Marie Cooke1,2 and Claire M. Rickard1,2
Correspondence : a.ullman@griffith.edu.au
1 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
2 Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
Ullman et al. BMC Cancer (2017) 17:595 DOI 10.1186/s12885-017-3606-9
