Efficacy and ease of use of an intravenous catheter designed to prevent blood leakage: a prospective observational trial. 
Conventional safety intravenous (IV) catheters prevent blood exposure during catheter placement but blood leakage from the unconnected catheter still frequently occurs.  In the current study a new safety IV catheter equipped with a blood leakage control septum was assessed under routine clinical conditions.  This prospective observational trial was conducted at the KKRN (Katholisches Klinikum Ruhrgebiet Nord), Germany, September/October 2012.  Peripheral IV access was established in presurgical patients using either the investigational ("IS3") or a conventional safety IV catheter ("IS").  Incidence of blood leakage during placement and subsequent (dis-)connection procedures, duration of placement as well as handling conditions were compared.  A total of 200 IV accesses were established (n(IS3) = 102 and n(IS) = 98).  Blood leakage during catheter placement (4.9% (IS3) vs. 61.2% (IS); p<0.001) and blood contaminations (3.9% (IS3) vs. 14.3% (IS); p = 0.01) were significantly reduced for IS3.  All blood leakages observed with IS3 were due to improper technique.  No blood leakage occurred during repeated (dis-)connections of IS3 (blood leakage IS: 74%).  Using IS3, vein compression was not required (no compression: 98%) and duration of catheter placement was significantly shorter (t(IS3) = 69.6 ± 22.4 s vs. t(IS) = 85.2 ± 28.2 s; p<0.001).  The investigational IV catheter effectively prevented blood leakage, thereby reducing contamination risk and workload associated with cleaning.  Omission of vein compression facilitated and shortened IV catheter placement.