Alternative to Biopatch?

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Does anyone use any product other than Biopatch? I work for a small specialty infusion company and am looking at costs. The Biopatchs cost $8 each. I have seen the 3M product with the Chlorhexadine on the dressing, but have found them extremely difficult to remove from the PICC. I was really concerned about it migrating or coming out completely.

If you know of other products used to prevent CRBSI's....I would love to hear about them.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

We found the same thing to be true of the Tegaderm whith the CHG patch..it was very difficult to remove...we decided to stay with the Biopatch.....There is one way I know of to get them cheaper.....have them put the biopatch in your dressing kit....we pay only 9.00 for our dressing kit..and it has a TSM dressing...biopatch..steri-strips...small roll of transpore tape tape measure ...CHG wand...one mask..one skin prep pad.....one 2x2..and nitrile sterile gloves..perhaps packaging will be the key for you.......There is also one other product that i have seen that is a patch applied just like a biopatch...but it is Not CHG...I will find the add and post again

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Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I have heard about a silvadine product but can not find any information or research about it.

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We also use Biopatch. I have not heard of anything else. We tried the Tegaderm with Chlorhexadine and had the same problems that you had. I think Biopatch is worth the cost.

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There is an excellent alternative to BioPatch.

The Algidex IV Patch from DeRoyal provides similar antimicrobial results. The technology uses Ionic silver based in Alginate that is impregnated onto small polyurethane discs similar to BioPatch.

The antimicrobial properties of silver are well documented.

NO contraindications like BioPatch. Can be used on all age populations.

Best thing is that is half the cost of BioPatch.... $4.00 each.

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Thanks so much for the response. We are looking to try some of these out!

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Thank you for the Algidex info, we are an LTAC system needing to find a Biopatch alternative due to costs alone and in kits...this is going to be very helpful and thank you for helping me avoid the issue with the 3M product if I had asked our nurses to evaluate.

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There is also another alternative.

The product is called Silverlon Lifesavers. It's about $3.50 - $4 each and is approved for 7 days use.

There are 3 different types of silver products - impregnated silver, nano-crystalline silver, & deliverable silver.

When you "impregnate" silver ions to any substrate, you trap those silver ions which is what kills the bacteria. It means that the silver ions can not be delivered below the skin where it needs to go. The dressing simply becomes a bacterial barrier to any new bacteria getting on the skin. The only way an impregnated patch can kill bacteria is to make contact with it. However for the bacteria already below the skin, the impregnated silver can not kill. Not the most effective since 20% of the bacteria resides in the hair follicles underneath the skin which is released into the surrounding tissue during catheter insertion and further mulitiplies over time. Most of the products out there are all "impregnated" silver.

The nano-crystalline silver can deliver silver ions into the wound. However, the big issue here is that it physically "dumps" metallic silver into the wound which is a toxic in itself. This will not only "stain/tattoo" the skin below the nano-crystalline silver to a black/grey color, but also can slow down the healing process.

Only one product has deliverable silver ions and does not stain/tattoo the skin - Silverlon Lifesavers. It's 99.99% pure metallic silver permanently bound onto the substrate so it only delivers silver ions under the skin into the wound and NEVER the actual metallic silver. Silverlon is currently used by all the arms of our military (Marines, Navy, Army) for the nastiest burn/blast injuries to our soldiers to signicantly decrease infections.

There are great clinical studies on the Silverlon products. It even eradicates MRSA within 30min - 1 hour.

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we use BioSeal CVC which is a powder that stops bleeding, oozing and keeps the site dry and intact. There is a great article that was just published in the Journal of the Association of Vascular Access about bioseal at a facility (Summer 2010 edition). There is information in there as well about the reduction in CRBSI at that facility. Go to the website and call the company to get a rep in your area to show you this product. It is really great. We saw similar results to the article in ending the need for 48 hour dressing changes, great looking sites and improved outcomes and $ savings and reduction in infections.

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The best alternative is the AMD Foam Disc from Kendall, Covidien. It contains PHMB and is effective against gram+ and gram- bacteria. It is an excellent product. Try the website www.kendallamdfoam.com for more info. We had really good results with this product.

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