B. Braun Launches Introcan Safety® 2 IV Catheter with One-time Blood Control Designed to Make IV Access Safer for Clinicians

BETHLEHEM, Pa., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun), a leader in infusion therapy, announced today the launch of its new Introcan Safety 2 IV Catheter with one-time blood control. The Introcan Safety 2 IV Catheter is the latest development from B. Braun for making IV access safer for the clinician by reducing the risk of needlestick injuries and their exposure to blood.

IV access is a critical element of infusion therapy, and this invasive procedure continues to be associated with potential risks to clinicians. Needlestick injuries are one of the highest risks clinicians face during their daily routine. The CDC estimates 385,000 sharps injuries a year,[1] with over 30% of them from hollow-bore needles like those used in peripheral IV catheters (PIVCs).[2] Studies show that passive, fully automatic safety devices are two times better than a semi-automatic 'push-button' safety shield and three times better than a manually sliding shield.[3] With Introcan Safety 2, clinicians are protected by a truly automatic passive safety device.

Not only are healthcare workers concerned about needlestick injuries, but also mucocutaneous blood exposure when starting an IV. In fact, most nurses reported blood exposure as a concern for their own safety, as well as for their patients' safety.[4] Every blood exposure carries a risk of infection. 69% of healthcare workers experience 1-3 mucocutaneous exposures per month when inserting a PIVC.[5] Anytime there's blood leakage, clinicians are at risk for exposure to various bloodborne pathogen infections including, but not limited to, HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.[6]  

Introcan Safety 2^® helps to reduce clinician and patient's exposure to blood with its one-time Blood Control Septum, which is designed to restrict the flow of blood from the catheter hub after needle removal until first connection of a Luer access device.

"We are excited to broaden our portfolio within the Introcan family of passive safety IV Catheters," said Chad Laity, Director of Marketing, Vascular Access and IV Systems. "The newly launched Introcan Safety 2 will allow clinicians to experience passive needlestick prevention and a reduced risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens when removing the introducer needle from the Introcan Safety 2. This is all achieved with a product similarly sized to the widely popular Introcan Safety Catheter."

B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative medical products and services to the healthcare industry. Other key product areas include nutrition, pharmacy admixture and dialysis. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap^® and CAPS^®.

Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 64,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise^® philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, explore our website.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sharps Safety for Healthcare Settings. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/sharpssafety. Last accessed November 3, 2020.

[2] International Safety Center. U.S. EPINet Sharps Injury and Blood and Body Fluid Exposure Surveillance Research Group. Sharps Injury Data Report for 2018. Report available at https://internationalsafetycenter.org/exposure-reports/.

[3] Tosini, et al "Needlestick Injury Rates According to Different Types of Safety-Engineered Devices: Results of a French Multicenter Study", Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Vol 31, No. 4, April 2010 (p. 402-407).

[4] Reducing blood exposure risks and costs associated with SPIVC insertion. By Deborah Richardson, MS, RN,CNS, and Lois Kaufman, PhD

[5] Jagger J, Perry J, Parker G, Phillips EK. Nursing2011 survey results: Blood exposure risk during peripheral I.V. catheter insertion and removal. Nursing. 2011 Dec;41(12):45-9. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000407678.81635.62. PMID: 22089909.

[6] Elise M. Beltrami, Ian T. Williams, Craig N. Shapiro, Mary E. Chamberland. Risk and Management of Blood-Borne Infections in Health Care Workers. Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2000. 13 (3) 385-407; DOI: 10.1128/CMR.13.3.385

SOURCE B. Braun Medical Inc.