[Our experience using "Huber Plus" needles in our infusion center]

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Patient Safety
• Infusion Therapy

Background:

• Huber needles are commonly used for long-term venous access.
• Concerns exist regarding patient comfort and needlestick injuries with traditional Huber needles.
• The introduction of safety-engineered Huber needles aims to mitigate these risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the operability and safety of a safety-engineered Huber needle (Huber Plus®) versus a non-safety Huber needle.
• To evaluate patient-reported pain and uneasiness associated with both types of needles.
• To assess the incidence of needlestick injuries in an infusion center setting.

Main Methods:

• A pilot trial was conducted in an infusion center.
• Two types of Huber needles were used: one with a safety cover (Huber Plus®) and one without.
• Each needle type was used nine times, with data collected on successful first-time punctures, needle accidents, and patient-reported pain and uneasiness using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Main Results:

• Both needle types demonstrated a 100% successful first-time puncture rate and a 0% incidence of needle accidents.
• Patients reported significantly lower pain (2.6 vs. 3.8) and uneasiness (0.5 vs. 3.7) when using the safety Huber needle compared to the non-safety needle.
• This is the first report on Huber needle safety in Japan.

Conclusions:

• The safety-engineered Huber needle (Huber Plus®) offers superior patient comfort, evidenced by reduced pain and uneasiness.
• The safety needle system is effective in preventing needlestick injuries.
• The use of safety Huber needles is recommended in Japan to enhance patient safety and reduce procedural discomfort.