Click to edit Master subtitle style Safer Spinal Connectors? Trying to prevent injection of drugs into the wrong place. A simulation-based evaluation Tim Cook, Sonja Payne, Elena Skryabina, Dom Hurford, Emma Clow, Andy Georgiou Royal United Hospital, Bath
Click to edit Master subtitle style 12/09/10 Spinals Epidurals Lumbar punctures IT chemo injections
Click to edit Master subtitle style 12/09/10 Spinals Epidurals Lumbar punctures IT chemo injections
Click to edit Master subtitle style 12/09/10 Spinals Epidurals Lumbar punctures IT chemo injections
Click to edit Master subtitle style Spinal and epidural injections Approx 700,000 in UK pa With lumbar punctures/chemotherapy injections >1 million in UK per year
The Problem
Wayne Jowett Death 2001
Myra Cabrera Fatal IV Bupivacaine 2004
Joe Gibbs Fatal IV bupivacaine in ICU Fatal 2008
Grace Wang Epidural Chlorhexidine 8ml Australia June 2010
The Problem An Organisation with a Memory 2000 55 cases worldwide of intrathecal injections of vinca alkaloid chemotherapy agents Eliminating wrong route errors one of four specified aims NRLS regular reports of wrong-route errors – 3 deaths due to epidural infusion given IV NAP 3 11 cases of wrong route drug administration 1 death
Wrong route errors and HF A ‘feeding ground’ for HF
‘Learning from error’ DH video
The Plan
Objective Evaluate usability vs
CE marking
Manikin evaluation Anaesthetists (25) – Spinal anaesthesia – Epidural injection/catheter Haematologists-oncologists – Intrathecal injection – (adult/paediatric) Physicians – Lumbar puncture
Non-Luer Connectors - B-link Ltd (UK) - InterVene Ltd (UK) Neurax® Spinalok®
Methodology
Likert scale (1-5) Appearance Handling Ease of attaching syringe Connection security CSF visibility through hub Ease of injecting Robustness +/- epidural catheter 0 – 10 Overall usability 'Cross-connectivity'
Results – lots!
Results – Spinal * P<0.05 * P<0.01
Results – Spinal 25 anaesthetists participated
Results –Epidural * P<0.05 * P<0.01
Results - Epidural 25 anaesthetists participated
Results – chemo and LP * P<0.05 * P<0.01
Results – LP/Intrathecal Chemo 19 clinicians participated
Usability Non-Luer connectors less acceptable? Bias Diversity of opinion Unable to assess connector independently
Cross-Connectivity Neurax® - epidural filter approx 70N
Cross-Connectivity Needle connector - Spinalok® male-male
General manufacturers response Not true Not relevant User evaluation Too variable No standards Irrelevant to ISO CE etc
12/09/10
Feedback to manufacturers Revised connectors….issues resolved? 12/09/10 Neurax® increase 2mm in diameter Spinalok increase 2mm in diameter
Click to edit Master subtitle style Seven different options None user evaluated No funding for such
Click to edit Master subtitle style Conclusions User evaluation (equipment HF) is an important part of development of any new equipment.....whether designed with safety in mind or not Currently it is not happening
Independence Companies invited to - Train in use - Take no other part in study Grants - RUH Bath R&D funds - NPSA Dr Cook is a representative of the RCoA on the NPSA external reference group. This presentation is un- related to that role.