Antimicrobial Efficacy of a New Chlorhexidine-based Device Against Staphylococcus aureus Colonization of Venous Catheters.

The study tested lab solutions and pigs, not patients, so it does not show that ChloraLock prevents bloodstream infections in people. The device is investigational, and the authors say studies are needed to determine safety and feasibility in a patient population. Pig catheters were in place for only 7 days, so results apply only to short-term catheters. Only Staphylococcus aureus was tested, so it says nothing about other organisms that can colonize catheters. In pigs, clot formation meant lock fluid was not retrievable from 21% of lumens on average, so some samples could not be analysed. The effect of lock solution type was important: heparin and citrate needed longer contact than saline, and times between 20 minutes and 4 hours were not tested. Scanning electron microscopy examined only small 1-cm catheter segments, so biofilm and clot patterns may not represent the whole catheter.

Do not conclude that ChloraLock prevents catheter-related bloodstream infections in patients. The study measured bacterial counts in lab solutions and pig catheters, not patient infections, and the device is investigational.