Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Mar 1997
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialAssessing blunt cannulae as replacements for hypodermic needles during intravenous therapy: safety and utility.
Recently, blunt 18-gauge (ga) metal cannulae have become nationally commercially available as safety products. The ability of these blunt cannulae to prevent needlestick injury and to enable direct access of all standard latex ports and vial membranes, thus eliminating hypodermic needles entirely from the intravenous (i.v.) drug administration process, is assessed. ⋯ Metal 18-ga cannulae can be inserted through virtually all intact standard rubber vial membranes or standard Y-ports to allow safe IV access. A single prepuncture of any standard latex membrane allows economical blunt metal cannula access equally efficiently as with expensive pre-slit membranes and without loss of membrane integrity.