Needle-free arterial non-injectable connector

Specialist commentator comments

One specialist commentator stated that although accidental injection into the arterial line is uncommon, its potential consequences are devastating, and the needle-free arterial non-injectable connector (NIC) could make accidental injection less likely. They also thought that accidental blood loss as a result of leaving the tap open was uncommon.

One specialist commentator stated that bacterial contamination during sampling from an arterial line is very common, although the consequences are negligible and sub-clinical. They accepted that NIC has the potential to reduce bacterial contamination.

One specialist commentator stated that they had not experienced any issues with arterial lines (accidental injection, bacterial contamination or accidental blood loss) in the past 12 months, but they expected that the NIC would help eliminate such potential problems. The specialist commentator had previously used the NIC in their unit, but it is not currently in use. They noted that there had been some issues with using the NIC, including its size, which made it cumbersome to use, and problems with flushing or changing the device too frequently, but they thought that these could be overcome with appropriate training. Another specialist commentator thought the NIC should be simple to use. One specialist commentator noted that they would not introduce the NIC in their own centre, based on the current evidence on infection rates and cost savings.