AVA 2023 Top Ten Poster: Mastisol’s Mark on Dressing Integrity
Dressing adherence took center stage at the Association of Vascular Access Annual Scientific Meeting (AVA 2023, Portland, OR; Oct. 14-17, 2023). A poster by Logan Doyle, BSN, RN, VA-BC and Christina Greene, BSN, RN, VA-BC described dramatic improvements in dressing adherence after initiation of use of the gum mastic liquid adhesive, Mastisol.
The motivation for this quality improvement project was to decrease infection risk by improving dressing adherence.
Doyle & Greene compared dislodgement risk among both central and non-central lines before and after the use of Mastisol in a 321-bed teaching facility in the Southern US.
3 Key Data Points:
- An initial audit found 60.2 % of dressings were intact. Three months later, after Mastisol use was initiated, a second audit found 93.3% were dressings intact.
- These results represented a 55% improvement in intact dressings.
- An estimated 6.5 fewer hours were required to address non-intact dressing changes between the first and second audits.

Why is maintaining intact dressings important?
Catheter-related bloodstream infections are the leading cause of hospital acquired infections and are associated with increased hospital length of stay, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased health care costs.1
Dressing non-adherence is a major risk factor for catheter related bloodstream infections. When dressing integrity is interrupted, skin flora can colonize the insertion site, the insertion track, and ultimately the bloodstream.2
Improvements in dressing integrity are expected to translate into a decrease in catheter-related infections and a decrease in nursing workload due the need for fewer dressing changes.
This work was recognized among the top 10 posters at AVA in the vote for the “People’s Choice Award” at the conference and adds to the evidence for the safe and effective use of Mastisol for infection prevention.
Eloquest Healthcare is committed to providing solutions that can help improve dressing integrity and durability while reducing unnecessary costs. For more information about Mastisol please complete this form.
Eloquest Healthcare, Inc. can partner with your institution to facilitate a Vascular Access Device Site Assessment to determine the state of vascular access device & dressing securement for patients in your facility, while providing you and your team with information on your facility’s infection risk, nurse efficiency, and potential product waste. Request a Vascular Access Device Site Assessment today!
REFERENCES
- Rupp ME, Karnatak R. Intravascular Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2018;32(4):765-787. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2018.06.00
- Choudhury MA, et al. Skin colonization at peripheral catheter insertion sites increases risk of colonization and infection. Amer J Infect Cont. 2019:(47)1484−1488.