SwabCap to be Focus of Four Presentations at AVA Conference

Two physicians will discuss their research findings on SwabCap® during podium presentations at the upcoming annual meeting of the Association for Vascular Access (AVA).

SwabCap allowed for significant reductions of central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) at a meaningful cross-section of medical facilities, according to clinical research to be presented by Gregory Schears, MD, of Rochester, Minn.

Also presenting research in a podium talk will be Eddie Simpser, MD, FAAP, executive vice president and chief medical officer of St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children in Bayside, N.Y.

In addition to the doctors' talks, two scientific poster presentations at the conference will outline how the disinfection cap allowed for dramatic reductions in CLABSI rates. One of the posters is from Simpser's facility. The other is from St. Francis Hospital, in Columbus, Ga.

Schears' presentation will summarize a multi-site study in 12 hospitals that trialed the disinfection cap. Preliminary results showed SwabCap allowed for an average CLABSI rate reduction of 53 percent.

 Simpser will report data from a St. Mary's Hospital for Children initiative to reduce CLABSIs. The combination of SwabCap, a foam disc and IV line scrubbing sharply reduced the hospital's CLABSI rate.

Both talks will take place during Oral Abstract Presentation Session C113 on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Room A3 at the conference site.

The AVA conference will also see the launch of a new product called SwabPack, which provides another option for making the cap available at the point of patient care. SwabPack contains 25 SwabCaps in a bar-coded plastic bag that can be hung from an IV pole.

SwabCap is a disinfectant cap that creates a closed system with its thread-cover seal. The FDA-cleared device passively disinfects the top and threads of needleless IV connectors, for use after an IV line is placed and between line accesses. A foam pad inside the sealed disinfectant cap releases 70% IPA that continually bathes the connector top and threads, thanks to the closed system and thread-cover seal. Compliance to infection control protocols is verified when the bright orange cap is observed in place.

At the AVA conference, Excelsior Medical, maker of SwabCap, will be at Booth 417 from Tuesday, Oct. 4 to Thursday, Oct. 6. Exhibit Hall hours are 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. all three days. The conference will be held Oct. 2-6 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, Calif.