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A disinfecting cap for every access point
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3M™ Curos™ Disinfecting Port Protectors

3M™ Curos™ Disinfecting Caps

Curos disinfecting caps are alcohol-containing caps that twist onto I.V. access points for disinfection and protection. Consistent use of Curos disinfecting caps on I.V. needleless connectors is associated with decreased central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs).

Disinfects in one minute. Protects catheter access points for up to seven days.

Each Curos disinfecting cap contains 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA). The IPA bathes the surfaces of the access point, disinfects it in one minute and keeps the access site clean and protected for seven days.

The Curos™ brand offers a full circle of disinfection and protection for intraluminal access points including:

Needleless Connectors
Male Luers
Catheter Hubs
Tego® Hemodialysis Connector

Advantages over scrubbing

The traditional standard of care for catheter hub or connector disinfection has been a thorough manual scrub with an alcohol wipe, often referred to as "scrubbing the hub." Curos™ disinfecting caps provide several advantages over the scrub the hub protocol:

Save time

Curos alcohol impregnated caps provide fast passive disinfection, saving nurses valuable time compared to most scrub the hub procedures. In addition, no drying time is required to achieve disinfection.
Provide a physical barrier

They provide a physical barrier to contamination, between accesses for up to seven days.
Remove user technique variation

Once a Curos cap is twisted into place, it provides consistent disinfection.
Provide visual confirmation

Curos caps' bright colour help
caregivers verify that a port is clean at a glance.

How Curos™ Disinfecting Caps meets clinical guidelines
Royal College of Nurses (RCN) - "Use of passive disinfecting caps should be used in line with local policies"
(Royal College of Nurses, Standards for Infusion Therapy, 2016)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - "Curos™ disinfecting cap shows promise for preventing infections when using needleless connectors, but there is insufficient evidence to support the case for routine adoption in the NHS"
(NICE, 2019)

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) - “Use an antiseptic-containing hub/connector cap/port protector to cover connectors.”
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) 2014 Update

Infusion Nurses Society (INS) - Standard 36 – Needleless Connectors
"Practice Recommendation G - Disinfect needleless connectors attached to any vascular access device (VAD) to reduce introduction of intraluminal microbes using either active or passive disinfection.Perform passive disinfection by applying a cap or covering containing a disinfection agent. Disinfection caps create a physical barrier to contamination between uses. (Level 1)"
Infusion Nurses Society (INS) Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, 2021
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3M™ Curos™ Disinfecting Port Protectors achieved a 99.99% reduction in six microbes commonly associated with CLABSI*

The effectiveness of Curos disinfecting port protectors was tested in vitro against**: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida glabrata. All test samples exceeded the minimum 4-log reduction after one minute. (3M data on file.)

For more information regarding organisms associated with central line–associated bloodstream infections, refer to: Weiner et al. (2016). Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Associated With Healthcare-Associated Infections: Summary of Data Reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011–2014. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology
Data reflects in vitro findings on Curos™ Disinfecting Port Protectors (Data on file)

Three keys to reducing bloodstream infection risk

As your trusted partner in protecting patients, we share your goal of sustaining zero bloodstream infections. And we want to do everything in our power to help you achieve it.

We believe there are three keys to reaching this goal: people, standards, and technology. It’s an effort that requires exacting standards of care, a commitment from the care team to methodically adhere to those standards, and technology that adds an additional layer of antimicrobial protection.

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Our 3M specialists can't wait to get back in the field with our clinical customers, but in the meantime, we can offer online consultations and virtual demonstrations. We're here for you.

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3M™ Curos™ Disinfecting Port Protectors videos

References

*For more information regarding organisms associated with central line–associated bloodstream infections, refer to:
Sievert, D. M., Ricks, P., Edwards, J. R., Schneider, A., Patel, J., Srinivasan, A., . . . Fridkin, S. (2013). Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Associated with Healthcare-Associated Infections: Summary of Data Reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009–2010. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 34(01), 1-14. doi:10.1086/668770
**Data reflects in vitro findings on Curos™ Disinfecting Port Protectors

Merrill, et. Al, Impact of Universal Disinfectant Cap Implementation on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections. American Journal of Infection Control. December 2014: Volume 40 (12)
Cameron-Watson. Port Protectors in Clinical Practice: An Audit. British Journal of Nursing: (IV Therapy Supplement). 2016: Vol 25 (8)
Forcing the Function: Implementation and Evaluation of an IV Port Protector to Decrease CLABSI. Legacy Health, Portland, Oregon: Mary Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN