Bioinspired In Vitro Model for Investigating Intravenous Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

Abstract

Intravenous (IV) catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are a significant risk in healthcare, driving the need for better catheter designs and materials like Ecoflex to enhance safety. This study explored Ecoflex's effectiveness in reducing CRBSIs by creating skin-like replicas that mimic human skin properties for catheter design and training tools. We conducted experiments to evaluate the material’s surface roughness, wettability, bacterial adhesion, mechanical properties, and thermal stability. The study included wettability tests under varying sebum levels, bacterial adhesion experiments with E. coli, and mechanical stress tests that mimic daily usage. The Ecoflex replicas accurately replicated human skin textures with controlled surface roughness and improved hydrophilicity upon sebum application. Simulation tests of IV therapy scenarios demonstrated the material's resistance to bacterial growth, indicating its potential for prolonged medical use. Ecoflex shows promise for medical device manufacturing, particularly for studying bacterial adhesion and enhancing catheter safety. The study suggests further microbial studies and better IV-therapy clinical simulations to develop safer medical devices and reduce hospital-acquired infections.