Staying Power: Uncovering the Impact of Medical Liquid Adhesive on CVC Dressing Adherence in the ICU

Every day, busy ICU teams struggle with a persistent challenge: central venous catheter (CVC) dressings that fail to stay securely in place. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience—when dressings come loose, the consequences can be severe, including catheter failure, treatment delays, infection, and even death. As AVATAR researchers Nicole Marsh, RN, PhD, and Amanda Corley, RN, PhD, explain, “Maintaining effective dressing securement of CVCs in intensive care is a clinical priority.”

Marsh and Corley are part of the team behind the award-winning STICKY Trial—formally titled “Securing Jugular Central Venous Catheters With Dressings Fixed to a Liquid Adhesive to Prevent Dressing Failure in Intensive Care Patients.” The findings from the study were recently published in Critical Care Medicine. Their research highlights that selecting the right dressing is only the first step towards minimizing unnecessary dressing changes. Preserving the dressing’s integrity—keeping it from detaching—is essential to protecting the site from external microbial contamination and reducing infection risk.

Mastisol® Liquid Adhesive has been widely used for several decades to secure dressings, tapes, and certain medical devices for extended periods. Recognizing its potential, the STICKY trial investigators set out to evaluate Mastisol’s effectiveness in securing jugular central venous catheters. According to Marsh and Corley, “CVCs placed in the jugular vein, particularly those placed high in the neck, are difficult to effectively cover with a long-lasting dressing. The neck is a mobile area which makes it challenging for the dressing to do its job. Additionally, there is often not much space remaining to dress the insertion site due to the presence of other medical devices and equipment and the close proximity of the ear lobe. This is further compounded by the many infusions that are often connected to CVCs in ICU which result in extra weight being placed on the dressing and ultimately the CVC insertion site. The addition of Mastisol under the dressing border provides an extra level of adhesion to keep the dressing in place and the CVC secured.”

The STICKY Trial’s findings reinforce an important message: while choosing the right dressing is crucial, ensuring it stays put is what truly protects patients. With products like Mastisol, ICU teams have a practical solution to a daily challenge—helping reduce unnecessary dressing changes, lower infection risk, and improve patient outcomes. Read the complete study here.

Consider trialing Mastisol to see the difference it can make. Contact us to request samples or setup an evaluation!