Current established practice recommends that central venous catheter (CVC) dressings that are clean dry and intact can safely remain in place for up to seven days. Bleeding and moisture at CVC insertion sites can lead to poor dressing adherence and to an environment favourable for microbial growth. Additional unplanned interactions are provoked such as undressing, cleaning and redressing the site; in some circumstances it may be necessary to change or to re-site the catheter. Each of these factors may increase the risk of infection while consuming additional healthcare time and resource.
The study will recruit patients undergoing surgery in a tertiary cardiothoracic hospital. Those selected will have planned CVC insertion. The majority of patients will have an increased bleeding risk due to the nature of cardiac surgery, usually requiring a number of agents to reduce their risk of thrombosis. Whilst there is a suitably individualised and patient-specific assessment of risk, the internal jugular is the preferred vein for a large proportion of our patients.
Haemostasis is the mechanism by which bleeding is stopped by the formation of a clot. In anticoagulated patients, clot formation is prolonged resulting in frequent oozing and bleeding around CVC insertion sites and to the soiling of dressings. Serous exudate, clammy skin and diaphoresis present additional challenges in this patient cohort. StatSeal® is an approved and commercially available haemostatic powder product indicated for the temporary external control of bleeding. Recommended application is at CVC insertion, prior to the site being covered with a transparent dressing. Comprising a hydrophilic polymer and potassium ferrate, once in contact with protein-rich body fluids, the mechanism of action of the powder is to dehydrate and to absorb exudate. This simultaneously forms a low pH seal barrier which is hostile to microbial penetration while also purporting to help maintain clean and dry environment beneath transparent dressings.
The objective of the study is to compare current standard care with use of an additional haemostatic powder.
Following the successful insertion of an internal jugular CVC in the theatre area, participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio into one of the following groups:
1. Current standard care group - where the site is covered with a transparent dressing.
2. Intervention group - where the powder will be applied around the CVC skin insertion site before being covered with the same transparent dressing.
This is a low-intervention, low-risk pragmatic study. The consent seeking process is proportionate and adapted to the design of the study.
Routine monitoring of each CVC site will follow. Each CVC insertion site will be observed from randomisation for a period of 168 hours (seven days) or up to the time of CVC removal or first dressing change (which ever event occurs soonest). The 7-day period has been selected as this would be the time of the first planned dressing change for the CVC placed at randomisation. Within this period, data will be collected to investigate the duration and integrity of each index dressing including the reasons for removal and, the skin status at removal.
Data collection will be electronic and will be performed by medical, nursing and other suitably qualified and trained staff thus facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration and integration of research with everyday clinical practice.
