Medical Device Holder for Intravenous Tube

University of California System: University of California, Irvine
posted on 12/15/2011

• request more info 
•   
•  LICENSE ONLINE

In modern medical practice, up to 80% of hospitalized patients receive infusion therapy during their stay thus requiring the placement of an intravenous (IV) catheter. When the kinking or occlusion of the IV line occurs, this can lead to occlusion or failure of the IV line therefore requiring removal of the IV and possible repeat venous puncture to reestablish an IV line. Failure in the IV line can also result in patient discomfort, clot formation, phlebitis, and failure to deliver medication, fluids, nutrition, medication or blood products to a patient. The failure to establish an IV line causes pain and inconvenience to the patient such as the delay of medical procedures or operations and thereby increasing medical waste, and healthcare costs. The current practice of stabilizing an IV line is to immobilize the IV tubing on the patient by taping the IV tubing onto the patient. The immobilized IV tubing is usually adjacent to a medical device that feeds a fluid to the patient or draws a fluid from the patient. A problem with this method is that the IV tubing may become occluded thereby preventing fluid to flow to and from the patient. Also the use of tape to can result in the excessive use of tape, patient discomfort, and inconvenience for the healthcare provider. Physicians at the University of California, Irvine have developed a novel medical device that is used to hold intravenous tubing so that it prevents the intravenous tubing from occluding.