BAXA Ltd. Launches ZR Pre-Filled Saline Flush Syringes

Bracknell, UK - Baxa Ltd. announces its launch of a new line of pre-filled saline IV syringes in the UK. Baxa Ltd., an organisation committed to increasing patient safety through specialty devices for the preparation and administration of liquid medication, is adding a range of pre-filled saline intravenous flush syringes for catheter care in UK health systems. Baxa ZR sterile, pre-filled saline IV syringes provide a safe and effective alternative to flushes drawn from multi-dose vials or manual filled. ZR syringes provide ease of administration, convenience, reduction in the risk of errors, increased assurance of sterility, lower costs and less shelf-space than their alternatives, while promoting best practice in IV care.

Terry Aston, managing director of Baxa Ltd comments, "The time is right for pre-fills in the UK. Research and industry best practice widely acknowledges that the greater the number of procedures in preparation of medication, the greater the risk of cross-contamination. ZR pre-filled syringes reduce risk and are far more convenient to use."

Nearly all in-patients require an intravenous solution at some point during their stay in hospital. According to a study by the Infection Control Journal, 8% of saline solutions manually prepared by nursing staff were contaminated by micro-organisms2. Using typical methods, which involve drawing up a saline solution from an ampoule, cross contamination is a genuine risk. By contrast, the ZR syringes are prepared and packaged within a completely sterile environment, reducing the number of procedures and therefore the risk associated with manual saline solution preparation via a needle, syringe or pod.

By adopting pre-filled flush syringes, which are available without prescription, the number of stages for dose preparation are reduced, which leads to greater compliance with ANTT (Aseptic Non-Touch Technique), recommended by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence)3. Cross contamination is a genuine risk in manual saline flush syringe preparation.

SOURCE: Baxa Ltd.