The Oley Foundation is a home nutrition therapy community and advocacy group.
LifelineLetter
FALL 2023 ISSUE
Living with home parenteral and/or enteral nutrition (HPEN)
Medical Line Entanglement: Are You Aware? MEDICAL LINE ENT ANGLEMENT
U N D E R S TA N D I N G W H AT M EDICAL LINE AWA R E O F T E N TA N G L E M HE RISKS MA ENT IS AND Y HELP PREV BEING ENT UNINTE NTIONAL INJ URY
DID YOU KNOW...
CARA LARIMER, RD, CNSC; VANESSA SUMNER, MBA, MSN, RN; DIANE WANDER, RN, BA
When medical lines become trapped under a part of a person ’s body, or when they or wrapped around become twisted with each other, it is called medical line entan glement. Medical lines are common components of medic al devices such as tubing from IV or enteral pumps, gravity administration sets, oxygen tubing , cables from monit ors, and even power cords.
Note: The following article is based on “Medical line entanglement: the unspoken patient safety hazard of medical devices,” by C. Larimer, V. Sumner, and D. Wander, published in Nutrition in Clinical Practice in 2023. We asked the authors to share their research here so our readers will be aware of this potential hazard and can take steps to minimize risks. To help assist in the awareness and education about medical line entanglement (MLE), Moog Medical put together a simple infographic that can be found at moogmedical.com/understandingmedical-line-entanglement. It was designed to help readers understand what MLE is and what the potential risk is. The infographic also presents several ideas designed to encourage further discussion on medical line entanglement between caregivers and clinicians.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 5 Change Maker: A New Look at Shortages 6 Nutrition Support Concerns and Priorities Survey Results
WHAT TO KNOW...
Clinicians and caregi vers should avoid tubing and cords where infants, childre leaving n, or deemed at high risk for medical line entang those can become entang lement, led. Be aware that if these items become wrapped around a patient’s neck, there is an increased risk of strangulation or death.
WHAT TO DO...
CLINICIANS
CAREGIVERS
Discuss with your health care provider how to properly manage medical lines and how to properly monitor the patient whenev er devices with medical lines are in use.
1. Discuss the topic of medical line entangle with colleagues, clinical ment care teams, and other caregivers of at risk patients to confirm that they are aware of the associated risks. 2. Where appropr iate, consider impleme nting measures which reduce unmonitored use of medical lines with at risk populations. Where not possible , discuss methods of managing medical lines to keep them from becoming entangle d around the patient. 3. Educate all bedside staff, parents, and caregivers on appropr iate they may take to reduce measures for medical line entanglethe potential ment.
MD-83593 Rev. A
The use of a medical device in the home can be a complicated and challenging experience, especially when the device is used on children. In February of 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a safety communication called “Potential Risk of Strangulation in Children Who Use Enteral Feeding Delivery Sets.” The publication reports the death of two toddlers as a result of medical line entanglement (MLE) and advises “feeding set tubing can become wrapped around a child's neck and cause strangulation or death.” The risk of strangulation is not specific to enteral feeding delivery sets, however. Most medical devices have some type of cord or tubing connected to them, such as administration sets used with IV pumps, feeding sets used with enteral pumps, oxygen tubing, cables for monitoring equipment, and even power cords. When any of these cords or tubing become trapped under a person, wrapped around a body part, or when they become twisted together, it is called medical line entanglement. Medical line entanglement can cause strangulation, as noted by the FDA, but it can also cause ligature injuries, impaired circulation, falls, and device dislodgment. It can CONTINUED, PAGE 3
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