Medical Device Link.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS: MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT

Compatible with common syringes, the Surety needle is the first manually retractable safety needle.

In the course of their duties, healthcare workers may be exposed to blood-borne pathogens that can cause diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Improper handling, careless disposal, or unsafe design of contaminated sharp devices can result in contraction of these dangerous viruses by medical personnel. To address these safety concerns and to enable device manufacturers to comply with domestic and international risk-reduction legislation, Response Medical Equipment (Chipping Campden, Glos, UK; www.responsemedical.co.uk) has introduced what it claims is the first manually retractable safety needle.

“During some research for [the UK] Purchasing and Supply Agency, we realized that a simple-to-use retractable needle that would fit existing syringes—be they luer lock or slip luer—simply did not exist,” says Mark Thompson, business development director.

Launched at Medica 2007, the Surety needle is designed so that a user’s fingers are never in front of the needle. Requiring one-hand operation, the product emits an audible click when retracted to indicate that it has been safely deactivated, and cannot be reused. In addition, the needle bevel aligns automatically during venipuncture.

Compatible with common syringes, the Surety needle does not necessitate a redesign of existing syringes by med-tech OEMs; the Surety needle simply bolts on to the product, according to Thompson. He adds that this bolt-on design enables significant cost savings for manufacturers.

The Surety needle is suitable for intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous injections, as well as for blood draw. “General practice doctors [can also] use [it] when visiting patients away from the safe haven of the surgery room,” Thompson says. “Most general practice doctors do not carry Sharps boxes with them. Surety provides a safe alternative for them.”