Keynote speaker

Monday, July 18, 2022 09:15 - 10:15

Each time a patient self-catheterizes, the risk of pathogens entering the urinary tract increases.  Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent and can lead to life threatening conditions.   Limiting the amount of exposure the catheter has to touch contamination of the catheter surface when in use could help reduce introduction of pathogens into the urinary tract.  The purpose of this study was to compare five marketed hydrophilic intermittent catheters (HIC) with protective features including either a protective sleeve or protective tip, protective sleeve and cap using an in vitro assay that tracked the bioburden of touch transfer during a simulated use of the catheters.  HICs with a protective tip and sleeve demonstrated more than a 96% reduction in microbial transfer of uropathogens compared to other sleeved catheters without a protective tip.  The data demonstrates that HICs equipped with both protective tip and sleeve offer the most effective protection against pathogen transfer during catheterization and may reduce the risks of UTIs due to pathogen transfer.

Tadas Stanislovas Sileika, Ph.D., Sr. Scientist, Hollister