Port catheter systems are implanted more than 300,000 patients annually in the U.S. to provide a means for long-term delivery of fluids and medications including chemotherapy. For those who value the benefits of power injectability, Navilyst Medical's new
Xcela Power Injectable Ports offer a wide array of port options to satisfy the demands of physician preferences and patient characteristics. The titanium Xcela Ports, available in standard and low profile sizes, offer durability and reduced size for ease of implantation and patient comfort. The plastic Xcela Ports are light weight for patient comfort and offer radiolucence-reduced imaging artifact. The plastic/titanium hybrid port design option combines the durability of titanium with the light weight and radiolucence of plastic. All designs have a 5mL/sec with 300 psi infusion rating for use in contrast imaging procedures. In addition, Xcela Ports are compatible with the new
EZ Huber® Safety Infusion Set.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1997-2005 MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) central line associated bloodstream infections declined by 50 percent in intensive care units except pediatric units where rates of incidence remained the same.
The specific cause of the decline is unknown but CDC researchers acknowledge that numerous steps have been taken to improve the safety of catheter insertion and care. Successful hospitals are utilizing a collaborative approach forming teams including medical directors, nurse managers, infection control and others involved in central line placement, access and maintenance. These teams are responsible for creating protocols and processes as well as making recommendations for implementation.
One step hospitals have taken to help eliminate infections is utilization of prepackaged kits for catheter insertion. For more information on other strategies for infection prevention, continue reading here.
Photo Credit: Interplast
The Xcela® PICC with PASV Valve Technology combines PASV® (Pressure Activated Safety Valve) Technology with Xcela® Power Injectable Catheter Technology to create a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) designed to offer a high degree of safety, ease and confidence in patient care.
Effective October 1, 2008, U.S. hospitals are now cost accountable for certain medical errors and preventable medical care complications, including catheter-related bloodstream infections. At an estimated $100,000 per event which includes increased diagnostic/therapeutic costs and length of hospitalization, reducing the rate of hospital-acquired infections has become a top priority for hospital administrators and hospital infection control teams nationwide. PASV Valve Technology design automatically resists backflow, reducing blood reflux that could lead to catheter-related complications.
The new power injectable PICC is also easy to place and simple to maintain. Ease of placement is possible with the broadest array of kit configurations, Exact-LengthTM Measurement System, trimmable catheter tip, enhanced radiopacity and reverse taper extrusion. The PICC's simplified care and maintenance routine features alcohol-resistant material, clampless extension legs, the freedom to choose the institution's preferred needleless connector and minimum weekly saline flush which can limit complications and cost associated with heparin use including heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
To learn more about Xcela PICCs with PASV Valve Technology, click here to view the full product page.
Long after diagnosis, port placement, rounds of chemotherapy and treatment are over cancer patients are faced with the inevitability of routine screenings. No matter how successful or far in the past their treatment days are, routine tests and scans bring with them high anxiety. Other patients have more visible reminders of treatment such as a punk-rock short haircut or a port nestled beneath their skin. Researchers have started to measure the positive impact this fear or anxiety can have including the motivation to live a healthier life. Read the entire article
here.
Photo Credit:
Muffet
Are you looking for flexibility, quality and choice in the Vascular, Radiology or Cardiac Catheterization Lab? In today's dynamic medical environment, the right choice is at Navilyst Medical. That's why NAMIC® Fluid Management Systems are constructed for confidence in every angiographic procedure.
Since 1969, NAMIC Products have been widely used in the industry. With features that answer clinical and operational needs, NAMIC Products meet the true challenges of your Cardiac Catheterization and Radiology Labs.
To learn more about the NAMIC brand family of products, download the new brochures and catalog:
Systems for Vascular and Radiology Labs
Systems for Cardiac Catheterization Lab
Fluid Management Product Catalog
Inside you will find features and benefits as well as imagery of NAMIC Fluid Management products including:
- Contrast Management
- Manifolds
Syringes
- Closed Fluid Systems
- Interventional Necessities
- Disposable Transducers
- Contrast Injection Lines
- Wires
- Stopcocks
- Accessories
Processing grief can be hard for anyone but especially for medical professionals experiencing patient loss at work. Oncology nurse Theresa Brown, a regular contributor to the New York Times Well blog talks about nurses coping with grief on the job. Read her full commentary
here.
Photo Credit:
Yatzz
A safety initiative to reduce bloodstream infections in intensive
care units was implemented in 30 states this past February. The program could save an estimated $3 billion dollars and 30,000 lives on an annual basis. The program has also been launched globally in Spain and the United Kingdom.
"We ran this program in 77 hospitals and 103 intensive care units in Michigan for 18 months, and infection rates dropped 66 percent," said Peter Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Quality and Safety Research Group (QRSG) in a press release. "As a result, $200 million and an estimated 2,000 lives were saved. I'm confident we'll see a similar result nationwide."
The program is based on a checklist containing five important steps that should be followed when placing a central line catheter. These catheters are typically used for patients in the Intensive Care Unit to administer fluids or medications, obtain blood and directly take measurements such as central venous blood pressure. For more information on the study, read the press release
here.
Photo Credit:
Hokkey
The 3 French catheter expands the application of PASV (Pressure Activated Safety Valve) Technology, particularly in pediatric and elderly patient populations who tend to have smaller vein access.
Navilyst Medical's catheters with proprietary PASV Valve Technology have been shown to reduce rates of catheter occlusions (blockages) and catheter-related bloodstream infections. Effective October 1, 2008, U.S. hospitals are now cost accountable for certain medical errors and preventable medical care complications, including catheter-related bloodstream infections. At an estimated $100,000 per event which includes increased diagnostic and therapeutic costs, and increased length of hospitalization, reducing the rate of hospital acquired catheter-related infections has become a top priority for hospital administrators and hospital infection control teams nationwide.