The goal of this Phase I effort is determine the feasibility of developing a unique antimicrobial catheter to reduce the instances of the most prevalent healthcare associated infection, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI). This research and development effort will be to develop a urinary catheter with inherent long lasting antiseptic properties to protect the patient and prevent infection. The proposed device is a new approach to antimicrobial catheters. It will use common Foley catheter designs and materials, with the addition of an additive to the elastomer to render the catheter antimicrobial. The additive replaces the silica reinforcing filler in the elastomer and is designed to give a long lasting time release of antibacterial agent to the catheter surface. The catheter can be manufactured inexpensively with standard medical tubing manufacturing processes and materials, but will have the value-added property of antimicrobial activity. A durable and effective antimicrobial catheter that can prevent or reduce CAUTI will save millions of dollars in healthcare cost and thousands of lives annually.
A top priority of the Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health is the elimination of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), the most prevalent HAI, is the source of over 30% of all HAI's. There are approximately 560,000 cases of CAUTI resulting an estimated 13,000 deaths annually in the US. The resulting increased hospital stay and increased antibiotic use results in an annual cost of over 0.5 billion dollars to US healthcare.
