Automatic Capping System Reduces Needlestick Injury Risk

A novel safety system reduces needle stick injury (NSI) risk for health care workers, caregivers, consumers, and downstream waste management workers, should the original needle cap come off.

The ProteXsure Safety Capsule System is a patented, disposable container that contains protective caps that are used to cover a needle tip after injection in order to prevent NSI. When disposing of a used syringe, the needle tip is placed in the funnel-shaped opening on top of the device. Once inserted the syringe is removed. A protective cap is placed over the needle, covering it. The original needle cover can then be safely placed back on the syringe. The capsule system is automated and requires only one hand to operate, as its non-skid gel pads adhere to any surface without leaving marks or residue.

The capsule system contains 100 caps that fit all size needles and gauges in most medical and healthcare settings, and is the first device to safely address recapping both the front and back ends of all dental syringes. The funnel accepts both bent and straight needles. Once completely dispensed, the capsule system is simply thrown away. The ProteXsure Safety Capsule System is a product of Prism Medical & Design (Coral Springs, FL, USA), and has been approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Helthcare workers worldwide experience millions of NSIs per year, and as many as two-thirds of these events go unreported. They have been responsible for infections from more than 20 different agents, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Most needlestick injuries carry no adverse health consequences, but the possibility of infection with life-threatening microbes exists. The rate of infection following needlestick exposure has been calculated for HIV as 0.3%; figures for HCV and HBV have been reported as 1.7% and as high as 30%, respectively.

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Prism Medical & Design