Portex® CorrectInject™ Safety System for Spinal Anaesthesia

St. Paul, Minn., September 15, 2011 – Smiths Medical, a leading global medical device manufacturer, today announced that it has introduced its Portex® CorrectInject™ Safety System for administering spinal anaesthesia in the United Kingdom. The system is designed to reduce the chance of injection of medication not intended for the spinal space.

The CorrectInject™ Safety System comprises a series of interlocking connections featuring non-Luer tapers designed to reduce the risk of misconnection and the potential for medication administration errors. The non-Luer taper connectors of the CorrectInject™ system are unique, and therefore will not properly attach to the connectors of other medical devices, including infusion and injection systems. Connectors with conventional Luer tapers are commonplace on all types of medical devices. In clinical use, if an infusion line or medication-filled syringe does not securely mate with a CorrectInject™ connector, then the medication should not be delivered to the patient. This inability to make a secure connection should prompt the caregiver to check the patient line and verify the intended location of the anaesthetic; thus the premise upon which the system is based.

The CorrectInject™ Safety System supports appeals from professional associations and government agencies around the globe, including the National Patient Safety Agency in the UK, the World Health Organization and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in the U.S., urging healthcare providers to implement strategies and best practices that reduce the risk of medication administration errors for neuraxial (spinal and epidural) applications. The UK’s National Health Service set the deadline of 1st April 2012 requiring the use of dedicated neuraxial medication delivery systems with safer connectors that will not connect with intravenous Luer (industry standard) connectors for all spinal (intrathecal) bolus doses and lumbar puncture samples performed using syringes, needles and other devices. Today’s launch of the CorrectInject™ Safety System by Smiths Medical will enable users in the United Kingdom to comply, in advance of the deadline, promoting a safer way to administer a bolus of spinal anaesthesia.

Smiths Medical President Srini Seshadri said: “We are pleased to be able to offer a solution that promises to help reduce medication delivery errors during spinal anaesthesia administration. This system will help our customers comply today, with tomorrow’s clinical requirements. It is our objective to produce innovative medical products with the dual purpose of keeping patients safe while supporting the best possible clinical outcome.”

The CorrectInject™ spinal system is Smiths Medical’s first release of the CorrectInject™ Safety System range to be made commercially available; a CorrectInject™ system for epidural medication administration is now in development. The CorrectInject™ Safety System will undergo regulatory review and registration as appropriate to be made available to global markets.


Product(s) described may not be licensed or available for sale in all countries. CorrectInject Safety System is pending 510(k) clearance in the U.S.



About Smiths Medical
Smiths Medical www.smiths-medical.com is a leading supplier of specialist medical devices and equipment for global markets, focusing on the medication delivery, vital care and safety devices market segments. It is part of Smiths Group www.smiths.com, a global leader in applying advanced technologies for markets in threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications and engineered components. Smiths Group employs around 22,000 people in more than 50 countries.



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