BD Launches a New Generation Short Peripheral IV Catheter to Reduce Risk of Blood Exposure to Healthcare Workers

Sandy, Utah -- A new generation of safety short peripheral IV catheter (SPIVC) technology designed to keep healthcare workers safe from needlestick injuries and blood exposure is now available from BD Medical, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) and the world’s leading provider of IV catheters.

In addition to proven needlestick protection, BD Insyte™ Autoguard™ BC with Blood Control Technology has also been proven to reduce the risk of blood exposure by 95 percent, compared to a non-blood control IV catheter, according to a recently published study.1 The new blood control technology is a septum inside of the catheter hub designed to prevent blood from leaking out during insertion.

During the insertion of SPIVCs, clinicians experience blood leakage nearly 40 percent of the time.1 The new BD safety catheter is designed to reduce the risk of mucocutaneous blood exposure. Mucocutaneous exposure refers to blood or body fluid exposure to the mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, mouth, or the skin.

Healthcare professionals are often at risk due to uncooperative patients or patients who may inadvertently move their arm during an SPIVC insertion. Cheryll Collins, BSN, RN, OCN was exposed to blood from a patient infected with HIV and Hepatitis C. “As I unhooked the needle chamber, the patient pulled her arm away. The blood that was left in the hub went straight across my face and into my eye,” said Collins. “That incident had a profound impact on my life, as well as the lives of my husband and family.”

“This unique blood control technology is designed to protect the healthcare worker from the dual risk of infection from bloodborne pathogens associated with both percutaneous as well as mucocutaneous blood exposure during a short peripheral IV catheter insertion,” said Lynne Kelley MD, Vice President, World Wide Medical Affairs, BD Medical - Medical Surgical Systems. “Now blood exposure doesn’t have to be ‘part of the job.’”

As a result of minimizing blood exposure during insertion, the new blood control technology from BD is also expected to minimize contamination of other surfaces such as bed rails, scrubs, shoes, floors or equipment. Pathogens in blood residue on these surfaces can be transferred to healthcare workers, housekeeping staff and visitors who might come in contact with these surfaces. Pathogens can also be taken home, for example, on a nurse’s shoes or scrubs.

To learn more about the New BD Insyte™ Autoguard™ BC with Blood Control Technology, call (800) 219-7174, ext. 2244. To learn more about BD Making Safety SaferSM, a program that provides nurses and other healthcare professionals with a forum to share information on risks, precautions and interventions, learn from experts and peers, and assist hospitals and other healthcare organizations in addressing ongoing concerns related to blood exposure due to insertion of a SPIVC, please visit: www.bd.com/bloodcontrol.

More about SPIVCs

SPIVCs are the most commonly used device to access a patient’s blood vessels. According to multiple published studies, up to 37.8 percent of healthcare workers report having experienced at least one blood or body fluid exposure in the preceding year.2,3,4 A recent report from the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia shows that nurses are at greatest risk, reporting 48.6 percent of blood or bodily fluid exposures.5

About BD

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people’s health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD’s capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world’s most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

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1 Onia R, Eshun-Wilson I, Arce C, et al. Evaluation of a new safety peripheral IV catheter designed to reduce mucocutaneous blood exposure. Current Medical Research Opinion. 2011;27(7):1339-1346.

2 Doebbeling BN, Vaughn TE, McCoy KD, Beekmann SE, Woolson RF, Ferguson KJ, et al. Percutaneous injury, blood exposure, and adherence to standard precautions: are hospital-based health care providers still at risk? Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Oct 15;37(8):1006-13.

3 Zhang M, Wang H, Miao J, Du X, Li T, Wu Z. Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among health care workers in a general hospital, China. Am J Ind Med. 2009 Feb;52(2):89-98.

4 Tarantola A, Koumare A, Rachline A, Sow PS, Diallo MB, Doumbia S, et al. A descriptive, retrospective study of 567 accidental blood exposures in healthcare workers in three West African countries. J Hosp Infect. 2005 Jul;60(3):276-82.

5 EPINet. International Healthcare Worker Safety Center, University of Virginia. U.S. Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Report. 2007 [Mar 7, 2011]