Antibiotic-Impregnated Catheters: Writing a Tender Spec
How to write a tender specification for antibiotic-impregnated catheters: lots by catheter type, dimensions, 28-day release wording, and what to leave out.
A tender specification for antibiotic-impregnated catheters should define the catheter type, material, inner and outer diameter, length, length marks, kit contents and the impregnation itself: antibiotic impregnated into the material, with its release period stated. DESU antibiotic-impregnated catheters release in a controlled manner over 28 days and match their standard versions dimensionally.
Key takeaways
- Write one lot per catheter type and keep the standard and antibiotic-impregnated versions on separate lines.
- Specify impregnation into the catheter material and the release period, using the word impregnated.
- State dimensions, length marks and kit contents as measurable requirements a bidder can answer line by line.
- Describe the product, not a clinical outcome, and do not write in a brand name or a feature only one supplier has.
Hospital buyers and clinical users writing the technical part of a tender can use the DESU range of antibiotic-impregnated catheters as a worked example. For a full map of which products have the option, see antibiotic-impregnated catheter options across the DESU range. Whether to use these catheters at all is a clinical decision, and your infection control and neurosurgery teams should settle it before the document is drafted.
How should the lots be divided?
Start with what the catheter is for, not with the antibiotic. A ventricular catheter and a lumbar drainage catheter are different devices for different uses, so a single lot called “antibiotic catheters” forces bidders to guess. One lot per catheter type gives clean comparisons.
Keep the standard and antibiotic-impregnated versions on separate lines, even if they are in the same lot. They have different codes, and your clinicians may want both on the shelf.
Which values belong in the specification?
Use values a bidder can confirm from its product documentation. The DESU figures below show the level of detail to ask for.
| Catheter | Inner / outer diameter | Length | Length marks | DESU code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventricular | 1.3 / 2.5 mm | 23 cm | 5–15 cm | ASVCK |
| Peritoneal | 1.1 / 2.5 mm | 120 cm | 5–20 cm | ASPCK |
| Lumbar | 0.8 / 1.6 mm | 100 cm | 5–20 cm | LACK |
| Lumbar drainage | 0.8 / 1.6 mm | 80 cm | 5–20 cm | ELACK-1608800 |
| EVD | 1.5 / 3.0 mm | 31 cm | — | EVDACK-1530310 |
| EVD | 1.5 / 3.0 mm | 35 cm | — | EVDACK-1530350 |
| EVD | 1.9 / 3.4 mm | 35 cm | — | EVDACKS-1934350, EVDCACK-1934350 |
Add the features that matter clinically: silicone material, radiopaque construction, tantalum length marks, and the drainage hole pattern where the catheter has one. The DESU ventricular, lumbar and lumbar drainage catheters have 24 drainage holes in four rows of six.
Decide in advance how you will treat small differences. If your surgeons need a particular inner diameter, say so and explain why. If a close value is acceptable, give a range. An exact number with no stated reason tends to narrow the field without helping the patient.
How should the impregnation be worded?
This is the clause that most often goes wrong, because loose wording leaves bidders to answer different questions. Three points cover it:
- Method: the antibiotic is impregnated into the catheter material. Use the word impregnated and ask bidders to state how their antibiotic is held in the catheter.
- Release: ask for the stated release period. DESU catheters release in a controlled manner over 28 days.
- Identification: ask how the impregnated version is told apart from the standard one. DESU impregnated catheters are orange and standard ones white, which also helps at receiving and in theatre.
Ask bidders to name the active agents in their offer and to back the clause with the instructions for use. Your clinical and pharmacy reviewers can then read that against your hospital’s own policy. The specification itself does not need to promote one agent over another unless your clinicians have a documented reason.
For the committee discussion that usually precedes this clause, see the 28-day release in a value analysis.
How do kits and systems fit into the specification?
Many catheters are bought as part of something larger, so say which form you want.
- Catheter kits: state the contents. The ventricular catheter kit includes a stylet and right-angled connector, and the ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit (ASVPCK) has both catheters, a stylet and a right-angled connector. The lumbar drainage catheter kit includes a Tuohy needle, guidewire, angled trocar, Luer Lock connector and fixation tab.
- EVD systems: the EVD-010 Series is available as ENDS-AC-010, with an antibiotic-impregnated ventricular catheter in the complete drainage system. If the catheter is only one line in an EVD set, specify it inside the set.
- Shunt kits: a kit can be semi-antibiotic (standard valve, impregnated catheters) or full-antibiotic (impregnated valve body and catheters). The specification must say which.
What should a tender leave out?
A good specification describes the device and stops there. Leave out:
- Brand names and product codes in the requirement itself, unless your procurement rules allow them. The DESU codes in this guide are examples only.
- Clinical outcome requirements. A bidder can document a catheter’s properties; a tender line is not the place to ask for a promised result in patients.
- Features described in only one supplier’s wording, which can exclude equivalent products.
- Vague terms such as “high quality” or “latest generation”, which cannot be scored.
How can the evaluation be made easier?
Turn the specification into a compliance table. Each requirement gets its own row, with columns for the value offered, compliant yes or no, and the page of the product documentation or instructions for use that proves it. Bidders fill in the table, and evaluators read one format across all offers.
Ask for documents alongside it: the CE certificate, the ISO 13485 certificate, the instructions for use and the product documentation. DESU antibiotic-impregnated catheters are CE marked and made under ISO 13485. A sample request is also worth including, so that clinical users can check handling and the visibility of the length marks themselves.
Talk to a DESU product specialist
If you are drafting a specification and want to confirm dimensions or codes, email sales@desu.tr, use the contact page, or request a quote. A DESU product specialist can send the product details your tender needs.
Frequently asked questions
Should standard and antibiotic-impregnated catheters be in the same tender?
They can be, as separate lines. That lets the hospital buy both and lets evaluators compare each version with its true equivalent. The DESU versions have the same basic dimensions, so the comparison stays simple.
Do the two versions need different dimension requirements?
Not for DESU catheters, which have the same diameters and length in both versions. For other suppliers, ask them to confirm dimensions separately for each version.
Can a tender ask for the release period?
Yes. Ask bidders to state the period and support it with their product documentation. DESU catheters release in a controlled manner over 28 days.
Who should review the draft?
At least the neurosurgical users, the OR or ICU nursing lead, your infection control team and procurement. Each will catch different gaps, and a review before publication is easier than a clarification round afterwards.
Related standards
- ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems
- ISO 10993 series: Biological evaluation of medical devices