Araştırma Makalesi

Developing a device model for a safe and effective method in catheter fixation: An experimental study

Cilt: 65 Sayı: 1 9 Mart 2026
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Developing a device model for a safe and effective method in catheter fixation: An experimental study

Abstract

Aim: Current permanent catheter fixation techniques may lead to epidural catheter dislodgement or extrusion, resulting in risks such as catheter migration, inadequate analgesia, and unintended spinal block. This study aimed to compare a newly developed fixation device with the conventional suture method used for epidural catheter fixation. Materials and Methods: The Epilock® device, developed at Ege University Technopark CND ARGE, was manufactured using Polylactic Acid Thermoplastic Polymer (PLA+) material via a 3D printer. After obtaining ethical approval, 10 Sprague Dawley rats (5 males, 5 females) were anesthetized and randomly allocated into two groups. In the Control Group (n=5), epidural catheters were fixed 11 cm beneath the skin with silk sutures (20 knots). In the Experimental Group (n=5), catheters were secured using the Epilock® device. Fixation time was recorded, and the rats were monitored for catheter stability and infection for 7 days. Results: In the Control Group (n=5), the mean catheter fixation time was 258 ±250 seconds, while in the Experimental Group (n=5) it was 175 ±150 seconds. The Epilock® device significantly reduced fixation time compared the Control Group (p=0.032). Catheters remained significantly longer in place in the Experimental Group on the first day (p=0.048), whereas no significant difference was found on the second day (p=1.000). Conclusion: The Epilock® device provided a shorter procedure time and improved initial catheter retention compared with conventional suturing. These findings suggest it may enhance patient comfort, especially for those with positioning difficulties, and has the potential to be a valuable option in routine practice with further development and larger studies.

Keywords

Destekleyen Kurum

Bu deneysel çalışma, Ege Üniversitesi Teknopark bünyesinde faaliyet gösteren CND Ar-Ge tarafından desteklenmiştir.

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma Ege Üniversitesi Hayvan Deneyleri Yerel Etik Kurulu tarafından onaylanmıştır (Belge Numarası: 25.06.2025 tarihli 2025-025). Tüm yöntemler ilgili kurallara ve düzenlemelere uygun olarak yürütülmüştür. Çalışma Helsinki Bildirgesi'nde (1964) belirtilen ilkelere göre yapılmıştır.

Kaynakça

  1. Tripathi M, Pandey M. Epidural catheter fixation: subcutaneous tunnelling with a loop to prevent displacement. Anaesthesia. 2000 Nov;55(11):1113–6.
  2. McLeod G, Davies H, Munnoch N, Bannister J, MacRae W. Postoperative pain relief using thoracic epidural analgesia: outstanding success and disappointing failures. Anaesthesia. 2001 Jan;56(1):75–81.
  3. Königsrainer I, Bredanger S, Drewel-Frohnmeyer R, Vonthein R, Krueger WA, Königsrainer A, et al. Audit of motor weakness and premature catheter dislodgement after epidural analgesia in major abdominal surgery. Anaesthesia. 2009 Jan;64(1):27–31.
  4. van Kassel MN, Hermanides J, Lirk P, Hollmann MW. Prevention of Epidural Catheter Migration and Inflammation by Tunneling: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2025 Aug 15;14(16):5788.
  5. Bomberg H, Kubulus C, Herberger S, Wagenpfeil S, Kessler P, Steinfeldt T, et al. Tunnelling of thoracic epidural catheters is associated with fewer catheter-related infections: a retrospective registry analysis. Br J Anaesth. 2016 Apr;116(4):546–53.
  6. Gautam S, Agarwal A, Das PK, Khuba S, Kumar S. Prevention of epidural catheter migration: a comparative evaluation of two tunneling techniques. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2020 July 16;74(1):59–64.
  7. Su J, Soliz JM, Popat KU, Gebhardt R. Complications of Postoperative Epidural Analgesia For Oncologic Surgery: A Review of 18,895 Cases. Clin J Pain. 2019 July;35(7):589–93.
  8. Bishton IM, Martin PH, Vernon JM, Liu WH. Factors influencing epidural catheter migration. Anaesthesia. 1992 July;47(7):610–2.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Anesteziyoloji

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yazarlar

Yayımlanma Tarihi

9 Mart 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

7 Ekim 2025

Kabul Tarihi

27 Ekim 2025

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Cilt: 65 Sayı: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.19161/etd.1795301

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA67WL73ZR

Kaynak Göster

RIS / Bibtex
Vancouver
1.Alev Atalay, Lara Özbal, Vusala Mirza, Aslihan Esra Yüksel, Can Eyigör. Developing a device model for a safe and effective method in catheter fixation: An experimental study. ETD. 01 Mart 2026;65(1):49-54. doi:10.19161/etd.1795301

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