I-Corps: Blue light emitting antimicrobial bandage

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是基于减少导管相关感染和相关医疗保健费用。中心静脉相关血流感染（CLABSI）是非常危险的，与显著的发病率、死亡率和成本相关。有导尿管的患者比没有导尿管的患者更容易发生感染。CLABSI的平均费用约为每位患者4.5万美元，是治疗成本最高的医院相关感染。据估计，医院花费13.8亿美元治疗中心导管引起的住院感染，医疗保险和保险公司额外花费17亿美元治疗透析患者中心导管引起的门诊感染。更广泛地说，该技术的市场机会包括：尿路导尿管的消毒，预防军事人员等多重创伤患者的导尿管感染，以及伤口感染治疗。这个I-Corps项目将评估抗菌伤口敷料的商业潜力，该敷料利用蓝光的杀菌作用来灭活通常在导管表面定植的细菌。发光导管敷料的设计很容易与当前的护理标准相结合，以减少中央静脉相关的血流感染。蓝光会激活细菌中的光敏剂，这些光敏剂会释放出活性氧，这种活性氧通过破坏蛋白质和DNA而具有高度的细胞毒性。与紫外线照射相比，蓝光对哺乳动物细胞的危害要小得多，紫外线通常用于医疗设施、医疗设备、水和食物的消毒。细菌耐药性的增加表明需要不需要使用药物的感染治疗方法。这种装置将在医院销售，以降低成本和病人的发病率和死亡率。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is based on reduction of catheter-related infections and associated healthcare costs. Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) are extremely dangerous and are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. Patients with catheters are significantly more likely to develop an infection than those without a catheter. With an average cost of approximately $45k per patient, CLABSI are the most expensive hospital associated infection to treat. Hospitals spend an estimated $1.38 billion treating inpatient infections due to central lines, and Medicare and insurance companies spend an additional $1.7 billion treating outpatient infections from central line catheters in dialysis patients. More broadly, market opportunities for the technology include: sterilization of urinary tract catheters, prevention of catheter based infections in multi-trauma patients such as military personnel, and wound infection treatment.This I-Corps project will evaluate the commercial potential for an antimicrobial wound dressing that exploits the bactericidal effect of blue light to inactivate bacteria commonly colonizing the surface of catheters. The light-emitting catheter dressing is designed to be easily integrated with current standards of care to reduce central line associated blood stream infections. Blue light activates photosensitizers in bacteria, which release reactive oxygen species that are highly cytotoxic by damage of proteins and DNA. Blue light is significantly less harmful to mammalian cells as compared to ultraviolet irradiation, which is commonly used for disinfection of medical facilities, medical devices, water and food. Increasing rates of bacterial resistance indicate the need for infection treatment methods that do not require the use drugs. This device would be marketed to hospitals to reduce cost and patient morbidity and mortality.