Guidewire retention is preventable yet serious complication in procedures such as central venous catheterization, with over 2,500 cases reported annually in the U.S. These incidents often require surgical retrieval and are associated with a 20% mortality rate. Guidewire retention typically occurs due to a lapse in procedural vigilance—often when the operator becomes distracted or assumes the guidewire has been removed. In high-pressure environments like emergency or critical care, clinicians may inadvertently advance the guidewire entirely into the body while threading catheters or other instruments. Current safety measures rely heavily on physician vigilance, manual handling, additional steps, or external attachments, which can disrupt workflow and are prone to human error.
To address this critical issue, physicians and researchers at The George Washington University Hospital have developed GuideGuard, a novel medical device designed to prevent the complete displacement of guidewires into the body. This innovation incorporates a passive, built-in resistance mechanism that prevents full intravascular displacement, ensuring a portion of the guidewire remains externally accessible throughout the procedure—without interfering with standard clinical techniques.
GuideGuard is implemented as a modification to existing guidewires. The design allows for bidirectional threading of catheters, dilators, and other instruments, maintaining procedural efficiency while enhancing patient safety.
Advantages
- Enhances patient safety
- Integrates seamlessly into existing workflows without requiring additional components
- Compatible with existing clinical tools and workflows
- Significantly reduces the risk of complications, surgical retrievals, and associated healthcare costs.
Applications
- Central and peripheral venous catheterization
- Interventional radiology and cardiology
- Emergency and critical care procedures
- Any setting involving guidewire use
