Five-Year Study Finds Significant Reduction of Occlusion and Infection With Use of PICCs

NATICK, Mass. -- Boston Scientific Corporation announces the results of a five-year retrospective study on peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) with pressure activated safety valve (PASV) technology, indicating a significant reduction in rates of both occlusion (closure) and infection. The study, conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tenn., was presented at the Association for Vascular Access (AVA) Annual Conference in Savannah, Ga.

PICCs provide reliable access to the blood stream for patients requiring intravenous antibiotics, total parenteral nutrition, chemotherapy, blood products and blood sampling. The Vanderbilt study collected data over a five-year period on more than 12,500 PICC procedures performed by trained personnel in VUMCs specialized PICC nursing program.

This study provided us with compelling data that has shown significant benefits of the pressure-activated safety valve and a PICC team placement environment, says Doug Burns, RN, of Vanderbilt Medical Center, who presented the results at AVA. We are encouraged by the significant reduction in chances for occlusion and infections with the PASV Valve technology. The results should be welcome news to patients requiring intravenous treatments, as well as their physicians and infusion therapy clinicians.

The retrospective analysis revealed an increasing rate of successful placements since the inception of VUMCs PICC Service program in 2000.

Further, the choice of PICC technology had a significant impact on the likelihood for catheter occlusion and infection, both complications that can result from PICC procedures. Specifically, patient outcomes demonstrated statistically significant lower rates of occlusion, infection, or both when the PICCs with PASV Valve technology were used.  The chance for occlusion was 4.81 times lower, while infection was 1.35 times lower. Overall, the chance for either occlusion or infection was 2.24 times lower when patients received a PICC with PASV Valve technology.

This comprehensive study is another important step in establishing the clinical advantages of Boston Scientific's PASV Valve technology products, says Dave McClellan, president of Boston Scientifics Oncology business. The positive results should reinforce clinician confidence in using PASV Valve technology to deliver and maintain critical treatments to patients.

Boston Scientific offers a broad family of pressure activated safety valve products, including the Vaxcel PICC with PASV Valve technology. The U.S. PICC market is currently estimated at $130 million with an annual growth rate of approximately 20 percent.

Source: Boston Scientific Corporation