Abstract
This study evaluated potential liquid and/or aerosol release from the use of a retractable syringe designed to prevent accidental needlesticks. This device includes a mechanism that retracts the needle into the syringe barrel upon depression of the plunger. During activation, the possibility exists for the release of blood and/or drug solution. The syringe was tested using radiolabeled bovine serum albumin (125I) to simulate human blood and tritiated water (3H) to simulate a drug solution, allowing for the quantification of potential releases.
Blood release as a result of the retraction mechanism was not detected, but indications of a simulated drug release were. The quantity of the simulated drug release was directly proportional to the gauge size of the needle and was unaffected by the syringe size. Users of this product might be cautioned against the possibility of a drug release when activating the needle retraction mechanism.