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The Effects of Prolonged Ethanol Exposure on the Mechanical Properties of Polyurethane and Silicone Catheters Used for Intravascular Access

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Christopher J. Crnich ,
Jeremy A. Halfmann ,
Wendy C. Crone  and
Dennis G. Maki
Christopher J. Crnich
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin
Jeremy A. Halfmann
Affiliation:
Engineering Mechanics Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Wendy C. Crone
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Dennis G. Maki*
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin
*
University of Wisconsin Hospital, 600 Highland Avenue, CSC H4/570, Madison, WI53792., [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

Products containing alcohol are commonly used with intravascular devices at insertion, to remove lipids from occluded intravascular devices used during parenteral nutrition, and increasingly for the prevention and treatment of intravascular device-related bloodstream infection. The effects of alcohol on the integrity of intravascular devices remain unknown.

Methods:

Two types of widely used commercial peripherally inserted central catheters, one made of polyether-urethane and one made of silicone, were exposed to a 70% etha-nol lock solution for up to 10 weeks. Mechanical testing was performed to identify force-at-break, stress, strain, modulus of elasticity, modulus of toughness, and wall area of ethanol-exposed and control catheters.

Results:

No significant differences between exposed and unexposed catheters were identified for any of the mechanical parameters tested except for a marginal reduction in the modulus of elasticity for both polyetherurethane and silicone catheters and minor increases in the wall area of polyetherurethane catheters.

Conclusions:

These data indicate that exposure to a 70% ethanol lock solution does not appreciably alter the integrity of selected commercial polyetherurethane and silicone catheters. Given the greatly expanded use of alcoholic solutions with intravascular devices of all types, we believe that manufacturers would be well advised to subject their catheters and other intravascular devices to formal testing of the type employed in this study.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 26 , Issue 8 , August 2005 , pp. 708 - 714
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2005

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