Biomedical Device-Associated Infections in Surgical-Critical Care Patients

ISSUE: Each year, over 8000 medical devices enter the U.S. market. A small number of these devices fall within the high-risk (class III) category, requiring careful FDA review. The explosive growth of the biomedical device industry has lead to several problematic issues for infection control practitioners, including implementation of appropriate surveillance strategies and development of effective interventional practices reducing the risk of infection. PROJECT: This project was developed as an educational exhibit, discussing the microbial etiology, pathogenesis, and risk factors associated with infection in biomedical devices. The exhibit would serve as a focus for discussion of device-related infections in both surgical and critical-care patients. In addition to identifying the scientific basis for infection, the exhibit was developed as a vehicle for reviewing specific evidence-based strategies for reducing device-associated infectious complications. RESULTS: The exhibit was presented at hospital-staff venues involving nursing and medical/surgical clinical practitioners. An effort was made to incorporate specific patient-care episodes within selected case discussions. Following review of this exhibit, the healthcare professionals were able to: 1) identify major microbial pathogens associated with biomedical device-associated infections in high-risk patients, 2) discuss the microbial pathogenesis and risk factors associated with device-associated infections and 3) identify strategies for prevention and management of biomedical device-associated infections. LESSONS LEARNED: The rapid increase in the development and implementation of new invasive biomedical technologies requires that infection control practitioners become familiar with these innovative devices, the risk factors predisposing infection, and appropriate interventional strategies to reduce the risk of infection in surgical/critical care patient populations.