My three month old grandchild has a central line port in their chest. Does Summer’s Lifeguard eliminate the need to tape the central line to the stomach? We are currently having a problem with allergic reactions, rashes and skin breaking down.

One of the reason’s Summer’s Lifeguard was invented was to eliminate the need for tape as Summer was experiencing the same problems.  Summer’s Lifeguard is ideal for children with a central line, who are sensitive to tape.  This FDA cleared medical garment takes the lines from the chest and supports them by wrapping the lines around the body and securing them with tabs, eliminating the need to tape the lines to the chest or stomach to secure them.  Additionally, Summer’s Lifeguard will prevent tampering with the surgical site by the child.

eHow offers a great overview to Broviac catheters and explains the difference between a Hickman and a Broviac catheter.

The University of Michigan Health System Pediatric Surgery website provides really great information about the actual surgical procedure to place a Broviac, as well as, caring for the Broviac and removal.

And finally, Wikipedia offers information about Broviac and Hickman lines.

We have a 20 month old child with a Broviac located on his anterior chest.  He is very adept at working his fingers under the sterile tegaderm dressing.  We have used ace wrap and now use Coban with a figure-eight over the shoulder to prevent him from tampering with the sterile surgical site. He still gets his fingers under the sterile dressing.  Will your product help prevent access to the site?

Summer’s Lifeguard is ideal for toddler children; however, it will not prevent a determined child from accessing the site completely.  It will help make it more difficult.  The velcro hook and loop closure on the front was designed to make it easy for Nurses and caregivers to access the site.  This design of Summer’s Lifeguard makes it slightly more difficult for the patient to tamper with the lines of the Broviac.  We hope that out of sight = out of mind.

Pediatric Hospitals Save Lives With Central Line Hygiene and Maintenance

Following some basic rules of central line hygiene and maintenance, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and 87 other pediatric hospitals have, over five years, saved hundreds of patient lives and more than $100 million by preventing nearly 3,000 central line-related bloodstream infections, hospital officials announced this week.

The results mark a pivotal milestone in an ongoing national pediatric quality improvement program launched in 2006 and spearheaded by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).

The program examined whether and how a series of low-tech steps involving proper daily care and maintenance of the central lines can reduce infection rates. These steps included daily assessment of the need for the line, regularly changing the dressing covering the device, cleaning the line before and after use and hand washing before handling the line, among others.

Comparing current infections rates with infection rates before the program’s 2006 launch, experts estimate that, thus far, the initiative has prevented 2,964 central line infections, saved 355 children’s lives, and saved nearly $104 million that would have gone toward treating complications stemming from invasive bloodstream infections. Each infection carries a price tag of up to $45,000, experts estimate.

The program debuted across pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) with pediatric hematology and oncology units — two other frequent users of central lines — joining a few years later. In the two years since joining the program, hematology and oncology units have prevented 129 infections, saved 15 lives and more than $4.5 million in treatment.

“These results are a powerful example of how some of the most basic and low-tech practices, if followed unapologetically and without fail, can not only benefit the individual patient immediately but yield dramatic long-term improvement for the healthcare system as a whole,” says Marlene Miller, MD, MSc, director of pediatric quality and safety at Hopkins Children’s and vice president for quality transformation at NACHRI.

“Pediatric oncology patients are at risk for severe infections from their lines, as well as from many other sources, so I’ve been delighted to see a dramatic decrease in central-line associated bloodstream infections on our own unit over the past year,” says Allen Chen, MD, PhD, MHS, director of the pediatric bone-marrow transplant program at Hopkins Children’s.

“These results from children’s hospitals across the country are proof that what we’re seeing is no accident. Simple strategies can drive real progress when applied consistently,” Chen adds. “I’m eager to see the impact as we apply similar strategies to other medical procedures and devices and settings.”

A central line, or a central venous catheter, is a tube inserted into a major blood vessel in the neck, chest or groin to serve as a portal for medication, fluids or blood draws in patients who need them frequently. Because central lines also provide quick direct access into a patient’s bloodstream in emergencies, children in the PICU or those undergoing chemotherapy or bone-marrow transplants often have them for weeks to months or, in some cases, years. Inserted incorrectly or not maintained properly thereafter, the central line can become contaminated and provide bacteria and other pathogens easy entry into the patient’s bloodstream. Bloodstream infections can cause organ damage and are fatal in up to one-fifth of children who get them.