A laboratory study, recently published in the Journal of Biomedical Material, by scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Bactiguard, shows that Bactiguard’s coating may reduce the risk of a thrombosis.
A previous clinical study shows that Bactiguard’s Infection Protection central venous catheters reduce the number of bloodstream infections by 50 percent. In the laboratory study it was also observed that the coating, applied to the surface, also may prevent thrombosis.
”The cooperation between the academy, healthcare and industry contribute to increased possibilities for science within biomaterials and blood compatibility. In this case it has also contributed to product development, which is important to combat healthcare associated infections”, says Håkan Wallén at Department of Clinical Sciences Danderyd Hospital at Karolinska Karolinska Institutet.
The laboratory study aimed to develop and optimize Bactiguard’s coating for application on central venous catheters and has been done in cooperation with Kliniskt Forskningscentrum Norr at Karolinska Institutet.
”We are surprised that we after several laboratory tests identified that the coating not only is efficient against infections but also may prevent thrombosis, i.e. thrombus, which is a very serious condition and can cause the patient to suffer a heart attack or stroke, says Javier Sanchez, scientist at Bactiguard.
Healthcare associated infections is a large global problem, affecting about 6 million people, in the US and EU only. About 60 percent of all infections are caused by bacterial growth on medical devices such as catheters. A catheter associated bloodstream infection is one of the most serious and life-threatening infection.
The result of the laboratory study has now been published in the Journal of Biomedical Material, Part B: Applied materials, which is an interdisciplinary journal aimed at specialists in biomaterials, which designs, develops, produces and applies biomaterials and medical devices.
The below following image shows the status of fibrin deposition on the catheter material after being exposed to blood for 60 minutes and then stained with hemathoxyline. The control catheter is in the top part of the picture while the Bactiguard Infection Protection central venous catheter is placed on bottom
