Silicone catheter fracture secondary to stress events and a dressing technique to reduce those events.
In vitro experiments describe how two specific stresses result in weakened and thus more easily fractured silicone catheters. The two stresses studied are stretching and kinking of the catheters. A dressing method for flexible peripherally inserted catheters that eliminates kinking and significantly reduces stretching is described. The dressing method is compared experimentally with a standard dressing method.
LaRue
G D
GD
Precision PICCs Inc., Everett, Washington, USA.
Farnsworth
P A
PA
D002404:Catheterization; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D012826:Silicone Elastomers