U.K. watchdogs are warning healthcare providers to avoid using certain Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) Neoflon IV cannulae after receiving reports that the devices have been buckling during initial penetration of skin.
The problem was traced back to a change in Becton’s usual manufacturing process and the device maker is generating new inventory to replace the affected cannulae.
Becton Dickinson has not issued an official Field Safety Notice, but the U.K.’s Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has asked healthcare providers to ensure all staff are aware of the issue, to avoid using the catheters when possible and to take extra care if planning to use the Neoflon catheters.
The devices are designed to provide access to a patient’s peripheral veins for various purposes, including parenteral nutrition, blood transfusion and medication delivery. Broken catheters may result in delayed treatment that could harm patients, according to a notice from the U.K.’s Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.