Hospitals and health clinics around the country are beginning to use a new venipuncture device designed to improve patient comfort and reduce speed required to draw blood for testing. The Vacutainer® UltraTouch Push Button Blood Collector from BD uses new patented technology to affect the blood drawing process with improvements across the board to the well-known but aging butterfly needle.
Pentapoint™ Blood Drawing Needle
Using the Pentapoint™ Comfort blood drawing needle tip uses a patented 5-bevel needle tip, the UltraTouch can penetrate the skin with greater ease and comfort for the patient. Initially utilized in diabetes applications, the UltraTouch now extends the advantages of the Pentapoint™ Comfort to venipuncture. BD claims that the blood drawing needle reduces skin penetration force by 32% on average, reducing the pain of injection compared to standard 3 bevel needles.
RightGuage Ultrathin Blood Draw Needle Size
The Vacutainer® UltraTouch also utilizes a RightGuage ultrathin wall that enables phlebotomists to use a smaller gauge with the same amount of flow. These thinner walls enable phlebotomists to use smaller blood draw needles suitable for more veins while also improving filling times compared to a similarly gauged traditional needle. This can be important for a patient with veins that may be difficult to access. See how the new 25-gauge needle tube fill time compares to a traditional set on BD’s website.
Push Button ButterFly Needles
The last push button feature on the new Vacutainer® also features a single-handed, in-vein activation feature that uses a spring-loaded mechanism to retract the needle after the blood has been drawn. BD claims that this mechanism reduces accidental needlesticks by 88%. This is a useful feature because the old system of venipuncture required the phlebotomist to manually retract and secure the needle, increasing the risk for accidental sticks. An accidental stick can cause hematomas, a bruise from blood draw procedures and pain in arm after blood draw procedures.
