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Invasive device-associated skin complications and mechanical dysfunctions in paediatric healthcare: A systematic
Mari Takashima1,2, Areum Hyun1, Victoria Gibson1,2
1The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Insights
This systematic review found common skin issues and mechanical problems with invasive devices in children. Standardized reporting is needed to improve surveillance and understanding of these paediatric device-related complications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Medical Device Complications
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Background:
- Indwelling invasive devices are widely used in paediatric healthcare.
- Comprehensive data on the prevalence and complications of these devices in children is limited.
- Existing literature often lacks standardized reporting of device-associated issues.
Conclusions:
- Highlights the critical need for standardized definitions and reporting of device-related complications in paediatric care.
- Identified prevalent skin complications, occlusions, and dislodgments in children requiring invasive devices.
- Emphasizes that all devices except vascular access devices require standardized complication reporting to improve surveillance.
Aim:
This study aimed to estimate the proportion and rate of skin complications and mechanical dysfunction associated with indwelling invasive devices in paediatric healthcare.
Design:
This systematic review is reported in accordance with Cochrane standards for randomized controlled trials and the Meta-analysis of Observation Studies in Epidemiology for cohort studies.
Data Sources:
MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, clinical trial registries, and unpublished study databases were searched.
Review Methods:
Cohort studies and trials published from January 2011 to June 2022, including (1) indwelling invasive devices, (2) paediatric participants admitted to a hospital, (3) reporting post-insertion device-associated skin complication and/or mechanical dysfunction, and (4) published in English, were included. Device-associated skin complication and mechanical dysfunction (infiltration, leakage, occlusion/blockage, dislodgement/malposition, breakage and others). Pooled proportion and incidence rate per 1000 device days are reported.
Results:
This review synthesized 114 studies (30,782 devices; 1,635,649 device-days). Skin complications were reported in 40 studies, but none exclusively reported individual device-related pressure injuries. Mechanical dysfunctions were well-reported for central venous access devices, peripheral intravenous catheters, nasogastric/gastric tubes and peritoneal dialysis catheters but less for arterial catheters, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular assist devices.
Conclusions:
This systematic review highlights the need for standardized definitions and reporting methods to better surveil and benchmark device-related complications, particularly for understudied device types. Device-related pressure injuries were not reported in any of the included studies, and all devices except for vascular access devices require standardized reporting of complications.
Impact:
Despite the widespread use of invasive devices, comprehensive data on their prevalence, utility, and associated paediatric complications is limited. This review identified prevalent skin complications, occlusions and dislodgments in children with devices, underscoring the need for standardized reporting to enhance surveillance and understanding of paediatric device-related complications.
Reporting Method:
MOOSE (Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) Checklist.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No Patient or Public Contribution.
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