In Vitro Formation of Biofilms on Lopez Enteral Feeding Valves: Implications for Critical Care Patients and Nurses

Solseng, Tracy; Vinson, Heather; Gibbs, Penelope; Greenwald, Beverly

doi:10.4037/ccn2008.28.1.37

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Clinical Articles| February 01 2008

In Vitro Formation of Biofilms on Lopez Enteral Feeding Valves: Implications for Critical Care Patients and Nurses

Tracy Solseng, BS;

Tracy Solseng, BS

Tracy Solseng is a graduate student working on a master’s degree in food safety at North Dakota State University in Fargo. She is studying the plasmids associated with Enterobacter sakazakii.

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Heather Vinson, BS;

Heather Vinson, BS

Heather Vinson is a microbiologist working in Penelope Gibbs’ laboratory at the Great Plains Institute of Food Safety at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

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Penelope Gibbs, PhD;

Penelope Gibbs, PhD

Heather Vinson is a microbiologist working in Penelope Gibbs’ laboratory at the Great Plains Institute of Food Safety at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Penelope Gibbs is an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the Great Plains Institute of Food Safety at North Dakota State University in Fargo. She teaches courses in pathogenic microbiology, bacterial genetics and phage, and microbiological molecular techniques to both undergraduate and graduate students. She also trains undergraduate students on research techniques and hypothesis testing.

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Beverly Greenwald, RN, PhD, CNS, CGRN

Beverly Greenwald is an assistant professor of nursing at North Dakota State University in Fargo. She teaches undergraduate courses in nursing research and nursing management and does clinical rotations with students in adult health. Her research focus is gastroenterology nursing.

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Crit Care Nurse (2008) 28 (1): 37–41.

https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2008.28.1.37

This study investigates whether Pseudomonas aeruginosa can form a biofilm on Lopez enteral feeding valves in 14-day laboratory cultures.

The Lopez enteral feeding valve (ICU Medical, San Clemente, California) is a 3-way stopcock valve made of polycarbonate and polypropylene (Figure 1). This device is used to create a closed, feeding tube system when inserted between a percutaneous enteral gastrostomy or nasogastric feeding tube (which enters the gastrum) and the enteral feeding tubing (which is connected to a container of enteral nutrition). Use of the 3-way stopcock creates a closed system and eliminates the need to disconnect the tubing to check gastric residual volumes and to administer water flushes and medications. The opportunity for reflux of gastric contents during tubing changes is also eliminated with a closed system. Use of a Lopez valve provides several potential benefits to nurses, patients, and facilities (see TableT1).

The Lopez valve is...

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In Vitro Formation of Biofilms on Lopez Enteral Feeding Valves: Implications for Critical Care Patients and Nurses

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