Ethicon's BIOPATCH® Protective Disk with CHG Meets New CDC Recommendation and Continues as the Standard of Care to Reduce Intravascular Catheter-related Blood Stream Infections

The new CDC guideline says: "For patients aged 18 years and older: Chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings with an FDA-cleared label that specifies a clinical indication for reducing catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) or catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CABSI) are recommended to protect the insertion site of short-term, non-tunneled central venous catheters (1A)."¹ The updated recommendation has been designated Category 1A - the highest level of CDC recommendation for implementation supported by high to moderate quality evidence suggesting net clinical benefits.

Leading infection control specialist and President of Jason and Jarvis Associates, LLC, William Jarvis M.D says, "I support the CDC's revised recommendations for the use of chlorhexidine impregnated dressings on intravascular catheter insertion sites to prevent CRBSIs. The committee now aligns with the breadth of evidence-based data documenting the prevention benefit of CHG-impregnated sponge dressings, and BIOPATCH® holds an FDA indication to reduce CRBSIs in patients with central and arterial lines."

In the United States, approximately 250,000 CRBSIs are estimated to occur each year. These infections have shown to carry a high mortality rate of 12-25%, and extend hospital stays. The non-inflation-adjusted attributable cost has been found to vary from $3,700 to $39,000 per episode² with as much as $129,000 in additional billed costs³.

"The revised CDC recommendation reinforces the importance of choosing products with an 'FDA-cleared indication'¹ to reduce CRSBI, a criterion BIOPATCH has held for over 20 years," says Renee Odehnal, Manager of Professional Education for BIOPATCH. "As shown in more than a dozen randomized controlled trials, BIOPATCH, which is cited by multiple professional organizations provides strong, evidence-based infection risk reduction."

The updated CDC guideline supports the position of other thought leading organizations, including the Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists of America (SHEA), Infusion Nurses Society (INS), Oncology Nurses Society (ONS), and American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) on the positive impact of an evidence-based CHG sponge dressing with an "FDA-cleared indication"¹ to reduce the incidence of catheter related blood stream infections.

About Ethicon
From creating the first sutures, to revolutionizing surgery with minimally invasive procedures, Ethicon, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, has made significant contributions to health care for more than 60 years. Our continuing dedication to Shape the Future of health care is built on our commitment to help address the world's most pressing health care issues, and improve and save more lives. Through Ethicon's surgical technologies and solutions including sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars, hemostats, and infection prevention solutions our commitment to treat serious medical conditions like obesity and hospital acquired infections (HAI) worldwide, we deliver innovation to make a life-changing impact. Learn more at www.ethicon.com, and follow us on Twitter @Ethicon.

*Ethicon represents the products and services of Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC and certain of their affiliates. Ethicon, Inc. is the legal manufacturer of the BIOPATCH® Protective Disk with CHG. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

**The Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies comprise the surgery, orthopaedics, and cardiovascular businesses within Johnson & Johnson's Medical Devices segment.

Dr. Jarvis is a consultant for Ethicon. 

1. 2017 Updated Recommendations on the Use of Chlorhexidine-Impregnated Dressings for Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections. An update to the 2011 guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Healthcare Quality and Promotion. Published Nov 1, 2017. (https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/bsi/c-i-dressings/index.html)
2. Marshall, J., et al. Strategies to Prevent Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. electronically published June 9, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676533
3. Brunelli, S. Clinical and economic burden of bloodstream infections in critical care patients with central venous catheters. Journal of Critical Care 35 (2016) 69–74.

SOURCE Ethicon