Advice

Expert comments

Expert comments

Comments on this technology were invited from clinical experts working in the field and relevant patient organisations. The comments received are individual opinions and do not represent NICE's view.

Two out of 3 experts were familiar with or had used this technology before.

Level of innovation

Two of the experts considered this technology to be innovative compared with standard care. The other expert stated that using cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives is relatively established practice and that SecurePort is not chemically different compared with other cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives. The applicator itself was highlighted as the novel feature, because of its ease of use with vascular access devices.

Potential patient impact

All of the experts agreed that the technology may reduce the risk of infections at catheter insertion and exit sites. The securement properties of SecurePort IV also have the potential to reduce catheter dislodgement, which is a common issue with vascular access devices. The experts also commented that the technology could reduce the need for frequent dressing changes because of bleeding after insertion of a catheter.

Potential system impact

All of the experts noted that the technology has the potential to reduce reattendance to primary or secondary care shortly after the insertion of a vascular access device. This particularly relates to ambulatory care patients who need regular visits to have dressings changed. The reduced risks of line dislodgement and need for reinsertion also offer benefits to both patients and the healthcare system in terms of cost savings and improved health outcomes. Two of the experts suggested that the technology would cost more than current care because of frequent application. The other expert highlighted that the technology could decrease costs overall by reducing the need for dressing changes and saving nurse time.

General comments

All of the experts agreed that training would be needed to use the technology safely and effectively. This is important because of the adhesive properties of the technology, which mean both application of the SecurePort IV and weekly dressing changes should be considered. If the technology is adopted, the experts agreed that no change to existing clinical facilities would be needed and that it would be used in most or all general hospitals.