OVERVIEW
Background
Infection is the most common serious complications of
medical devices. About half of all cases of nosocomial
infections are device-associated. The progressive trend
of invasive insertion of an increasing number of devices
in a population that comprises relatively older and more
immuncompromised patients is anticipated to further amplify
the problem of device-related infections.
Limitations of Currently Existing Approaches that
Address Device-Related Infections
The problem of device-related infections is currently
being address through a number of approaches by various
entities that include governmental agencies (FDA, CDC,
NIH, etc.), industry (device- and drug-manufacturing companies),
practitioners, nurses, clinical pharmacists, researchers,
etc.). Although potentially useful, the currently existing
approaches are not optimal for the following reasons:
1. Suboptimal Multidisciplinary
Interaction
Most approaches have relied
on major input by infectious disease physicians and,
in some instances, some input from critical care physicians,
but have rarely sought the advice from other types of
health care providers, including surgeons who insert
devices, infection control practitioners who monitor
device-associated infections, nurses who care for the
patients with indwelling devices, etc.
2. Major Focus on
Catheters
Most approaches have focused
on catheter-related infections. Although many more catheters
are inserted each year than all types of surgical implants
combined, the medical and economical sequelae of individual
infections associated with surgical implants far outweigh
those resulting from catheter-related infections.
3. Inefficient Interaction
Between Device-Manufacturing and
Drug-Manufacturing
Companies
Although the occurrence of device-related infection
is very concerning to device-manufacturing companies,
it also prompts the development by drug-manufacturing
companies of a number of antimicrobial agents (both
antibiotics and antiseptics) for the prevention or treatment
of such infections. Unfortunately, the interaction between
device-manufacturing and drug-manufacturing companies
has been inefficient or even lacking.
Proposed Objectives of MADRI
The objectives of creating this unique platform for
multidisciplinary interaction between the various constituents
of the alliance are to:
