26 January 2017

Bactiguard announces the launch of its new BIP Endotracheal Tube Evac, for prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). It is one of a kind and designed to offer the best infection protection available on the market. VAP is the second most common nosocomial infection in the ICU, and associated with high-risk pathogens such as MRSA, prolonged hospital stay, increased hospital costs and high patient mortality.

“We are excited to announce the launch of this unique new product, with dual features for infection prevention. It is the only endotracheal tube on the market with both subglottic secretion drainage and a coating to prevent infections”, says Nina Nilsson, Director of Marketing.

 “There has been a great interest from the healthcare community in our new solution since we first exhibited it at the 29th European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) Annual Congress a few weeks ago”, Nina Nilsson continues.

Infections in the respiratory tract are serious and common healthcare associated infections that affect patients using certain medical devices, such as endotracheal tubes (ETTs). Despite limited and relatively short, but necessary life-sustaining treatments with ETTs, many patients develop infections in the respiratory tract – Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP).

VAP is the second most common nosocomial infection in Intensive Care Units (ICU), and estimated to occur in up to 25% of patients^1-3. It is associated with increasing the number of days patients need to stay in hospital by up to 25 days⁴, having an enormous negative impact on patient outcomes and hospital costs. Moreover, mortality that is directly attributable to VAP is estimated to be as high as 30-50%^5-6.

The BIP Endotracheal Tube Evac offers a dual approach to the prevention of VAP. It combines the VAP reducing mechanical feature of subglottic secretion drainage with the clinically proven ability of the Bactiguard coating to reduce microbial adhesion and prevention of biofilm formation.

Microbial adhesion on the tube itself, resulting in biofilm formation is a major cause of infection. In long-term ventilated patients, subglottic secretions can accumulate above the cuff of the ETT and hence, represent an ideal growth medium for bacteria. By microaspiration along the cuff, these contaminated secretions may pass into the lower respiratory tract and become a potential cause of lower airway infection, including VAP. Several clinical studies have examined the efficacy of subglottic secretion drainage and it is found to reduce VAP by approximately 50%⁷.

The earlier available Bactiguard coated endotracheal tube, BIP ETT (without subglottic suction) has been proven to reduce microbial adhesion by up to 98% in vitro⁸. In addition, a clinical study on 100 patients comparing a standard uncoated endotracheal tube with BIP ETT concluded that the Bactiguard coating reduced the incidence of VAP by 67%⁹.

The combination of subglottic secretion drainage and the unique Bactiguard coating on the new tube, BIP ETT Evac, is designed to offer the best protection against VAP available on the market.

1. Ibrahim EH et al. Chest. 2001;120(2):555-561.

2. Craven DE et al. Infect. 1996;11(1):32-53.

3. Rello J et al. Chest. 2002;122(6):2115-2121.

4. Warren DK et al. Crit Care Med. 2003;31(5):1312-1317.

5. Kollef MH et al. Chest. 2005; 128 (6): 3854-3862.

6. Stijn Blot et al. Critcal Care Medicine, March (2014) 42:3

7. Haas CF et al. Respir Care. 2014; Jun; 59(6):933-52

8. Data on file

9. Tincu R et al. Poster Euroanasthesia June (2015) 32