RE: Glass Capillary Tubes
Medical Technologists have extensive experience centrifuging microhematocrits, and we are very aware of the potential problems with glass capillary tubes, such as their fragility and how easily they break. We’ve all experienced how the fragile glass easily fracture while the tube is being placed into the sealing clay. These small tubes contain more blood than a needle and the sharp pieces can cause a large laceration, which can easily penetrate through the gloves that have been used for protection. A relatively large amount of blood can potentially enter the wound.
In addition, the glass tubes can shatter during centrifugation and pose a risk to staff when they remove the glass fragments to clean the spilled (splattered) blood. Most of us already know of the dangers with this method and have implemented other alternatives, even if they seem initially to be more costly.
Industry estimates over 108 million glass capillary tubes are sold in the US annually. Based on historic documentation of injuries, this extrapolates to about 2,800 glass capillary tube injuries per year in health care settings. Documented studies show that these injuries can occur in any healthcare setting (not just in clinical labs): in hospital ancillary testing sites such as ICU/CCU’s, ER’s, L & D rooms, blood donor centers, dialysis centers, or in out-patient clinics and other patient care locations.
On February 22, 1999, the FDA, NIOSH, CDC, and OSHA published a joint Safety Advisory regarding the potential risks of using Glass Capillary Tubes. In addition to alerting users of this potential hazard, safer alternatives were recommended. These documents can be found on the Internet at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/safety/capssa9.html and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/glassca.html.
FDA MedWatch Website: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/1999/safety99.html also offers a reference. And, there are other articles/letters to editors in other Journals2, 3 alerting us again of the potential dangers of Bloodborne pathogens. They recommend alternatives such as:
POC testing is rapidly expanding ancillary testing and Medical Technologists who oversee this testing are reminded of the dangers (and liabilities) to healthcare workers who use glass capillary tubes. There are alternatives.
| Angela Moore, M.T. (ASCP), MPA |
| HemoCue |
| September 17, 1999 |
References:
1Jagger, J., Bentley, and Perry, J., Glass Capillary Tubes: Eliminating an unnecessary risk to healthcare workers. Adv Exp Prev 3(5): 49-55, 1998.
2Guterll, G.O.; Glass Capillary Tubes’ Danger Targeted by Safety Specialist Janine Jagger, Advance for Laboratory Professionals, 3/30/98.
3Jagger, J. and Deitchman, S.;C:\My Documents\Labjrnls.docC:\My Documents\Labjrnls.doc Hazards of glass capillary tubes to healthcare workers. JAMA 280 (1)"31. 1998