Tecnovigilância no Brasil: Panorama das notificações de eventos adversos e queixas técnicas de cateteres vasculares

Abstract

This article identifies, quantifies and categorizes adverse event notifications and technical complaints related to the use of vascular catheters, received by the Notivisa system in the period from January 2007 to June 2016. It is a descriptive, retrospective, documental study with a quantitative approach. Data requested and supplied by Anvisa were analyzed and presented in the form of charts and tables. The study covered 4,682 notifications of technical complaints, and 671 adverse events. There was a progressive increase in notifications during the period studied. As to the type of technical complaint, the majority referred to ‘suspected quality failings’, the largest component being due to ‘catheter rupture during procedure’. The adverse event most notified was ‘catheter broke in the vein and migrated to another part of the body’. In the period studied there were four notifications of deaths, the most severe level of adverse event. The study made it possible to visualize the importance of after-sales surveillance of vascular catheters, as well as supplying a wide-ranging overview of their use. Provision of this overview could support technical surveillance activities and serve as input for public policies relating to this product.