JAVA Study: Evaluating ivWatch Technology in Pediatric IV Sites

A new study in the peer-reviewed Summer 2019 issue of the Journal of the Association for Vascular Access (JAVA) examines the performance of ivWatch. Benefits cited include early recognition of infiltration, avoidance of serious injuries, and potential reduction in litigation.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 25, 2019 – A new study in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Association for Vascular Access (JAVA) examines several important metrics that describe the performance of the ivWatch Model 400 at a leading children’s hospital in Ohio. The key finding of the pilot study was the device detected a peripheral IV infiltration 80 percent of the time before the clinician detected the leakage event.

Data was collected on 156 patients where the ivWatch Model 400 was incorporated into IV therapy but did not notify clinicians of infiltration, and then compared to data on 57 patients where the ivWatch Model 400 notified clinicians via audible and visual notifications of infiltration events. This allowed investigators to analyze how the ivWatch Model 400 compared to clinicians’ assessments in the early detection of IV infiltration. Success was measured by the frequency of infiltration events and how often the device issued notifications.

The study, which appears in the Summer 2019 issue of JAVA, showed that on average the device issued a notification signaling a possible infiltration (Yellow Check IV) 32.3 hours prior to a clinician detecting it, while a notification signaling a probable infiltration (Red Check IV) was issued an average of 29.8 hours prior to clinician detection. It was also concluded by the authors of the study at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, “technology that provides early detection of IV infiltrations may be advantageous for the patient, clinician, and institution.”

This pilot study was undertaken in part because of the medical center’s commitment to patient safety including efforts to reduce severe and moderate peripheral IV infiltration and extravasation occurrences. The results underline the practice of using an additional intervention in conjunction with following industry recommendations of IV site assessment to promote the earliest possible identification of this common complication of IV therapy.

The study titled “The Use of Optical Detection for Continuous Monitoring of Pediatric IV Sites” was authored by Darcy Doellman, MSN, RN, CRNI, VA-BC and Sylvia Rineair, MSHA, BSN, RN, VA-BC. The abstract can be viewed at https://www.avajournal.com/doi/abs/10.2309/j.java.2019.002.003, and the article citation is:

Darcy Doellman and Sylvia Rineair (2019) The Use of Optical Detection for Continuous Monitoring of Pediatric IV Sites. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access: Summer 2019, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 44-47.

To learn more about ivWatch, visit ivwatch.com.

About ivWatch:
ivWatch, LLC is a biosensor technology company focused on improving patient safety and the effectiveness of intravenous therapy. Our dedicated and passionate team is pioneering the use of optical sensors to detect adverse IV events early to minimize the risk of injury caused by infiltrations and extravasations. By using this technology, clinicians are able to leverage continuous monitoring to help identify infiltrations as early as possible. Our innovative monitored IV solutions are backed by decades of clinical research and device development. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @ivWatch or Facebook @ivWatchLLC, or visit ivwatch.com.

ivWatch is pleased to sponsor the work of myIV.com, an online resource dedicated to empowering visitors with information on all things IV, simplified.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Erin Wendell
erin.wendell@ivwatch.com
Mobile (757) 633-4688