Authors: P A Dewan A J Owen P J Ashwood J Terlet R W Byard
Publish Date: 2013/09/10
Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Pages: 49-53
Abstract
Migration of particulate matter from plastic tubing and solid plastic implants has been documented in a number of studies including some with the use of cardiac bypass haemodialysis and pumpassisted intravenous infusions In order to ascertain whether silicone embolisation occurs when children have an Ivac 560 pumpassisted IV infusion we passed 180 ml of pumped fluid through a microfilter and compared the scanning electron micrographs of those filters with unused filters and with others through which a similar volume had been passed without using the pump The particles on the filters were analysed for their elemental content using energydispersive Xray analysis In addition the appearance of the silicone tubing used in the pump over 3 and 72 h was assessed and compared to that of flowonly and unused tubing More particles were found on the microfilter when fluid had been delivered via the pump than on those through which nonpumped fluid had passed or that were unused Elemental siliconcontaining particles were only found on the filter when a pump had been attached to the IV line The flowonly and unused tubing were found to have adherent particles on the inner surface that were not seen once the tubing had been used for 3 h in the Ivac 560 pump Also after 72 h use the silicone tubing had a deformed inner layer The clinical significance of these findings is yet to be determined but it does appear that silicone embolisation occurs during pumpassisted infusions in children
Keywords: