PICC Lines, Central Line Bloodstream Infections, and Septic Shock: A ‘Never Event’

Greg Vigna, MD

Super-hydrophilic PICC lines reduce infection risk, unlike outdated polyurethane lines that can lead to sepsis, organ failure, brain damage, or death

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “Polyurethane PICC lines are defective because they do little to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections. To date, there has not been a reported case of septic shock from an infected PICC line using super-hydrophilic technology,” states Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national sepsis attorney.

Dr. Greg Vigna, national sepsis attorney and PICC line attorney, states, “Super-hydrophilic PICC lines are available that significantly reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections by preventing bacteria and platelets from adhering to the catheter, reducing the risk of bacterial colonization and bloodstream infections. Unfortunately, many device manufacturers continue to prioritize profits over patient safety by selling obsolete devices to hospitals."

Dr. Vigna adds, “Central line-associated bloodstream infections can lead to sepsis and septic shock, often involving hospital-acquired multi-drug resistant organisms. These infections can cause serious complications, including organ failure, critical illness polyneuropathy, respiratory failure, and even death."

“A Systematic Review of Length of Stay Linked to Hospital-Acquired Falls, Pressure Ulcers, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, and Surgical Site Infections” published in Mayo Clinic Proceeding: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes (Vol 9, Issue 3, June 2025) reported the following:

“Fifty studies involving 45,080,370 patients admitted for medical and surgical conditions met the inclusion criteria, with 1,939,151 patients experiencing 1 or more hospital-acquired conditions. Length of stay increased by an average of … 22.1 days for central line–associated bloodstream infections.”

Read the article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454825000189

Dr. Vigna concludes, “These cases are important because manufacturers have a responsibility to prioritize patient safety. Choosing profits over safety is not acceptable. In newborns, septic shock can lead to outcomes such as cerebral palsy and global developmental delay. In patients of all ages, septic shock can result in organ failure, amputation, brain damage, and death."

What is sepsis? Multiple organ damage from inflammation due to an infection that may result in organ damage to brain, kidney, heart, liver, and lung.

What is septic shock? A life-threatening condition that causes dangerously low blood pressure due to an infection that may result in amputations of fingers and toes, brain damage, kidney failure, ventilator dependence, oxygen dependence, and nerve damage.

Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who represents those suffering serious injuries caused by defective medical devices, including PICC line and Med-Ports, that lead to sepsis. He represents the injured with the Ben Martin Law Group, a national pharmaceutical injury law firm in Dallas, Texas. The attorneys are product liability and medical malpractice attorneys, and they represent the most injured across the country.

Greg Vigna, MD, JD
Vigna Law Group
+1 8178099023
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