Intrafix® SafeSet Flush Flush the line for total prescribed dose delivery

It’s common practice to administer short term intermittent infusions for example, antibiotics, via a pump or gravity administration set. With a gravity system, when the infusion ends and the antibiotic container empties, air is pulled into the line until a state of equilibrium occurs between the fluid level in the line and the back pressure from the patient’s vein. This results in residual volume of antibiotic remaining trapped in the line of the tube^1,2. Similarly, with infusion pump administration, once the programmed infused volume is complete, the infusion line remains filled with the antibiotic.

There is a common misconception that this is resolved by flushing the short extension line (needlefree extension) attached to the patient’s vascular access device post-infusion however, the residual volume trapped inside the line of the administration set, is far more significant than might appear and it can result in an under deliver of the antibiotic dose prescribed of between 20% (100ml infusion) and 40% (50ml infusion)².

Intrafix® SafeSet Flush combines a Caresite® needlefree injection port above the drip chamber with AirStop technology at the base of the drip chamber.  The unique combination enables the administration set line to be flushed post-medication via attachment of a small volume syringe to the Caresite® needlefree injection port.  This permits the residual volume of prescribed antibiotic only to be administered to the patient, reducing the risk of air embolism and fluid overload which could occur if using a flushing bag.

‘It was a very seamless transition, training involved in using these sets is very minimal, they are very easy to use’⁶

Andrew Barton, Nurse Consultant