In 1924, low dead space syringes (LDS syringes) were first manufactured for administering insulin. The space between the needle and the plunger is called the ‘dead space’. Compared to other syringes, only a tiny amount of fluid remains in the LDS syringe after injecting a drug. Hence it is known as a low dead space syringe or a low dead volume syringe. There are two types of LDS syringe:
• Low dead space needle with a standard syringe: this syringe has a detachable needle, and the dead space is approximately 17μl.
• Low dead space syringe with a fixed needle: the dead space here is typically 3μl.
A study observed reduced wastage of drugs and vaccines with the use of LDS syringes.
In neonates, inadvertent overdosing may happen due to standard syringes with high dead space. LDS syringes reduce the possibility of inadvertent overdosing in neonates.
One of the major benefits of using LDS syringes is the lowered risk of infections. Research has shown that even when a small percentage of people who inject intravenous drugs start using low dead space syringes, a substantial reduction of new blood-borne virus infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C occurs.
LDS syringes were initially made for the administration of insulin. These were designed to measure and mix fast and slow-acting insulin precisely, which also led to little wastage of the expensive drug. The syringe also had an attached needle with a short and smaller gauge to avoid disengagement during insulin administration and while reducing pain from recurrent injections.
Various intravenous drugs can also be administered using LDS syringes. In ophthalmology, intravitreal drugs can also be injected using LDS syringes.
Along with other vaccines, LDS syringes have also been used for COVID-19 vaccination during this pandemic.
One of the first vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, provides six doses of COVID-19 vaccine per vial. The volume of the vaccine in the vial is 0.45ml, to which 1.8ml of normal saline diluent is added. One shot of the vaccine contains 0.3ml as per the manufacturer’s recommendation. Using a regular syringe with high dead space means that only 5 of the 6 doses might be obtained from the vial; with possible consequences on the size of the immune reaction.
Recent research shows that the use of low dead space syringes allowed the extraction of all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine without any wastage. Additionally, there was no difference in the spike of antibodies after using LDS syringes. Thus, LDS syringes effectively administer the COVID-19 vaccine, which is still in short supply at many locations across the US.
LDS syringes can be difficult to procure due to their increased demand. Hospitals and clinics need a dependable source for a constant supply of LDS syringes, and procurement departments may not be prepared to handle this increased demand. Collaborating with an external procurement partner such as Northfield ensures uninterrupted patient care.
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