Performance and safety of PowerGlide Pro® extended dwell peripheral catheters in an emergency medicine unit: A prospective observational study

Abstract Background The increasing complexity of hospital care has led to a growing need for reliable vascular access devices. Extended dwell peripheral (EDP) catheters have emerged as potential options for intermediate‐term vascular access. Objective To evaluate the performance, safety, and efficacy of the PowerGlide Pro® EDP catheter in a high‐dependency care setting within an emergency medicine unit. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted on 300 patients with an anticipated need for intravenous therapy ≥7 days in an emergency medicine unit in Turin, Italy, from December 2019 to October 2020. Data collection included insertion success, complications, duration of use, and removal reasons. No control group was included. Complication rates were calculated both as raw percentages and as events per 1000 catheter‐days to facilitate comparison with existing literature. Results Of 300 attempted placements, 283 (94.3%) were successful. First‐attempt success rate was 91.5%. Overall complication rate was 8.1% ( n = 23) or 11.2 per 1000 catheter‐days, with 4.2% ( n = 12) or 5.8 per 1000 catheter‐days resulting in device removal. Mean duration of catheter use was 7.26 ± 5.51 days (range: 1–31 days). Age >70 years ( p = 0.014) and choice of insertion vein ( p = 0.005) were significantly associated with higher complication rates. Conclusion In this single‐center observational study, the PowerGlide Pro® EDP catheter demonstrated a high insertion success rate and relatively low complication rate. These findings suggest potential utility for intermediate‐term vascular access, though comparative studies are needed to definitively establish its advantages over other vascular access devices.