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Quick answer: “Tegaderm IV dressing” is not a single product. It is the manufacturer’s name for a family of sterile transparent film dressings used to cover and secure intravenous catheter sites. Clinic staff, supply buyers and students use this page to tell the family members apart, read the sizes the manufacturer lists, and see what the manufacturer says about wear time and dressing selection. Information below comes from the manufacturer’s own product page and selection guide, both checked on 2026-10-30.
What is a Tegaderm IV dressing?
A Tegaderm I.V. dressing is a transparent film dressing with an adhesive border, made by 3M (now Solventum), that covers the site where a catheter enters the skin and helps hold the catheter in place. The best-known member is the 3M Tegaderm I.V. Advanced Securement Dressing. Solventum describes it as offering “advanced catheter securement, site visibility and breathability.” People searching “tegaderm iv” usually mean this dressing or one of its relatives in the same range.
Who uses it: nurses and other clinicians who care for peripheral, midline and central venous catheters, and the clinic and hospital staff who stock these supplies. For the general concept, see our guide to what an IV dressing is.
How is it built?
The manufacturer’s product page lists these features of the Advanced Securement Dressing:
- Transparent film: highly breathable film that allows continuous view of the insertion site. The page also describes the film as a waterproof barrier to external contaminants.
- Adhesive: a hypoallergenic, dual-patterned adhesive described as building strength within the first 24 hours.
- Deep notch: shaped to conform around catheter hubs and lumens.
- Stabilization border: a flexible border intended to reduce edge lift.
- Picture-frame delivery: designed for one-handed application.
- Securement tape strips: supplied with a soil-resistant film coating.
The manufacturer states that “in vitro testing shows that the film provides a barrier against viruses 27 nm in diameter or larger” while the dressing remains intact without leakage. This is a laboratory test statement by the manufacturer, not a clinical outcome claim.
Types and variants in the Tegaderm IV family
Solventum’s I.V. dressing selection guide (EMEA leaflet, 2025) groups the range into tiers. Catalog numbers and tier names below are taken from that guide.
| Tier | Catalog numbers named in the guide | Product name in the guide |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced securement | 1681 (ported catheters), 1683 (unported), 1685, 1688, 1689 | Tegaderm I.V. Advanced Securement Dressing |
| Advanced paediatric | 1680, 1682 | Tegaderm I.V. Advanced Paediatric Dressing |
| Standard securement | 1633, 1622W (Transparent I.V. Dressing); 1610 (Paediatric I.V. Dressing) | Tegaderm Transparent I.V. Dressing; Paediatric I.V. Dressing |
| Antimicrobial | 1657R, 1658R, 1659R (CHG I.V. Securement Dressing); 9132 (Antimicrobial I.V. Advanced Securement Dressing) | Tegaderm CHG I.V. Securement Dressing; Tegaderm Antimicrobial I.V. Advanced Securement Dressing |
| Sutureless securement device plus dressing | 1839-2100, 1837-2100 | Tegaderm PICC/CVC Securement Device + I.V. Advanced |
| Port dressings | 1668 (adhesive-free window); 1665R (CHG gel pad) | Tegaderm I.V. Port Dressing |
“CHG” refers to chlorhexidine gluconate. The antimicrobial tier is a separate product line from the plain film dressings, with its own catalog numbers.
Sizes the manufacturer lists
The Solventum product page for the Advanced Securement Dressing lists these overall sizes (width x length). Pack counts differ between markets and listings, so they are left out here.
| Catalog no. | Size (cm) | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|
| 1680 | 3.8 x 4.5 | 1-1/2 x 1-3/4 |
| 1682 | 5 x 5.7 | 2 x 2-1/4 |
| 1882 | 7 x 8.5 | 2-3/4 x 3-3/8 |
| 1683 | 6.5 x 7 | 2-1/2 x 2-3/4 |
| 1688 | 10 x 12 | 4 x 4-3/4 |
| 1689 | 10 x 15.5 | 4 x 6-1/8 |
Catalog 1680 and 1682 are the two sizes the selection guide places in its advanced paediatric tier.
Which catheters is it indicated for?
Solventum’s page says to use Tegaderm I.V. securement dressings for short peripheral I.V. and midline venous catheters, central venous catheters (CVCs), dialysis catheters, arterial catheters, epidural catheters and other percutaneous devices. For catheter-specific kit contents, see our pages on the central line kit and general IV supplies.
How dressing choice is framed by the manufacturer
The selection guide is explicit that it is “a guide only” and says to ensure local policies and procedures are followed and to use clinical judgement as vascular access needs change. It names these product-related considerations:
- Catheter: number of lumens, ported or non-ported, huber needle wing size, tunnelled or non-tunnelled, large bore.
- Insertion site: extra security over vulnerable areas such as wrist, foot, elbow and groin, and how long a cannula is expected to stay in.
- Care setting: for example critical care, interventional radiology, haemodialysis, emergency, operating theatre, home care.
These are the manufacturer’s considerations, not a regulator’s rule. The choice for any patient belongs to the clinician under the facility’s own policy.
Wear time
Solventum states that Tegaderm I.V. dressings “support up to 7 days wear time on central IV catheters and for the life of the catheter of peripheral IVs.” Its product page also says “up to seven days of wear time.” These are manufacturer statements. For a related dressing brand, compare IV3000, and for another product used at catheter sites see BioPatch.
Safe use and handling basics
- The manufacturer describes the film as a sterile barrier. Check the carton label and the manufacturer’s instructions for use for the exact product in hand; they govern use.
- The selection guide asks users to follow local policies and procedures.
- Do not treat the manufacturer’s selection guide as a substitute for local policy; it says so itself.
Common mistakes
- Treating “Tegaderm IV” as one SKU. The range spans standard, advanced, paediatric, antimicrobial, port and device-plus-dressing products with different catalog numbers.
- Mixing up the plain and CHG versions. In the guide, catalog numbers 1657R, 1658R, 1659R and 9132 are the antimicrobial dressings; 1665R is the CHG port dressing.
- Relying on a third-party listing for dimensions. Listings can show different sizes or pack counts for the same catalog number; confirm against the carton label or the manufacturer’s current product page.
- Reading in-vitro film testing as a guarantee. The 27 nm barrier statement is a laboratory result that applies while the dressing stays intact.
FAQ
What does Tegaderm IV mean?
It is shorthand for 3M (Solventum) Tegaderm I.V. dressings, a family of transparent film dressings for covering and securing catheter sites. The Advanced Securement Dressing is the best-known member.
How long can a Tegaderm IV dressing stay on?
The manufacturer says up to 7 days on central IV catheters and for the life of the catheter on peripheral IVs.
Is a Tegaderm IV dressing waterproof?
The manufacturer describes the film as a waterproof barrier to external contaminants including liquids, bacteria and viruses, with the in vitro virus-barrier statement noted above.
What sizes are available?
The Advanced Securement range is listed in six sizes from 3.8 x 4.5 cm to 10 x 15.5 cm; see the size table above.
Where are related infusion products listed?
Related products are grouped under infusion supplies; the carton label and manufacturer instructions apply to the exact product.
Sources
- Solventum, “3M Tegaderm I.V. Advanced Securement Dressing” product page, https://solventum.com/en-us/home/f/b00035626, checked 2026-10-30.
- Solventum, “I.V. dressing selection guide” leaflet (EMEA, 2025), https://www.solventum.com/content/dam/public/language-masters/en_gb/msb/document/2025/iv-site-selection-guide-leaflet-a4-digital-ms-en-emea.pdf, checked 2026-10-30.
