Development and evaluation of CliniFix, a catheter/tubing fixation device

There are a plethora of clinical situations in which the fixation or securement of catheters and tubing are important. Many of these become critical, especially where dislodgement of the catheter/tube can compromise the treatment regimen for the patient, or cause pain and discomfort. In other situations, tube fixation is important for patient discretion and convenience. It is recognized that no matter what the specific application, there are several key criteria which any catheter/tube fixation system should meet: it must offer skin friendly attachment to the body; offer secure, but adjustable attachment for a range of catheter/tubing types, especially non-adherent silicones; must not present risks to users, such as creating pressure points or constriction; and must be convenient and uncomplicated to apply. This article discusses the need for securement or in some cases the total fixation of catheters and medical tubing. It outlines the present methods of securement or fixation currently available to clinicians and then goes on to cover the development and evaluation of a new device - CliniFix. Case studies demonstrate the usage of this new product within urological and stoma areas.