BACKGROUND: Drive-line infection (DLI) is a common complication of @entity1002 ( @entity1002 ) support, leading to significant morbidity that jeopardizes the benefits of these devices. It has been reported that DLI incidence is related to drive-line dressing strategies. The aim of this study was to determine whether implementation of a standardized drive-line care kit would reduce the incidence of DLIs. METHODS: DLI data were collected prospectively on all @entity1002 @entity1 implanted between 2009 and 2013 at Columbia University Medical Center. Drive-line care was altered on June 1, 2011, from a dry sterile dressing without a standard anchoring device to a standardized kit, which included @entity575 gauze dressing and a standard anchoring device. The @entity575 dressing was used until the wound incorporated, with a minimum of 1 month. RESULTS: During the study period, 107 @entity1 were implanted with LVADs before implementation of a standardized kit (Group A) and 159 thereafter (Group B). Median follow-up time (censoring at June 2011) for Group A was 8.73 (IQR 3.51 to 17.47) months and 11.65 (IQR 6.66 to 35.20) months for Group B (p = 0.17). DLI event rate improved from 0.18 to 0.07 event per @entity1 -year, corresponding to a relative risk reduction of 62.5%. In addition, the 1-year freedom from infection was significantly increased in Group B (92.46%) compared with Group A (81.94%) (log rank = 0.036). CONCLUSION: The use of a standardized kit, including @entity575 dressing and a standard anchoring device, leads to decrease in DLI with an absolute risk reduction of 11%. Routine use of these dressing techniques is warranted based on our findings, and may lead to @entity455 related to @entity281 .

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices and usefulness of a standardized strategy to reduce XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity455 :: ('MESH:D014652', 'Disease') :: ['reduction of complications'] @entity575 :: ('MESH:D012834', 'Chemical') :: ['silver'] @entity281 :: ('MESH:D007239', 'Disease') :: ['infections'] @entity1002 :: ('MESH:D018487', 'Disease') :: ['LVAD', 'left ventricular assist device']
@entity281 :: (MESH:D007239,Disease) :: ['drive-line infections']
