Central venous catheters (CVCs) are used with increasing frequency in intensive care, general medicine and oncology. Major complication result however from this usage. Despite routine flushing with saline solution, approximately 40 percent of CVCs result in thrombotic occlusion, greatly increasing the risk of infection by skin organisms, principally Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans. Most CVCs become coated with a fibrin film within days of insertion and CVC-associated thrombi arise within 30 days, causing post-phlebitic syndrome or pulmonary embolism. Restoration of CVC function requires fibrinolytic treatment to remove thrombotic occlusions, while treatment of infection is problematic, necessitating use of antibiotic locks or catheter removal.

Researchers at Aston University have discovered a coating for CVCs which can remain in the body without the requirement for either flushing or removal for cleaning. The coating incorporates transglutaminase (TGase) inhibitors onto the surface of CVCs, disrupting the formation and stabilisation of clots. TGases catalyse the formation of extensively cross-linked, generally insoluble protein polymers which have been linked to blood coagulation and clotting. Bacteria and yeast can bind to these protein polymers, particularly when they are deposited upon the surface of medical devices.