Leeds-based B-Link (UK) Ltd have today announced a revolutionary new safety invention designed to prevent medical errors in the form of 'wrong route' drug administration.

This week's verdict of 'unlawful killing', delivered by HM Coroner conducting the inquest into the tragic death of Mayra Cabrera, who received a fatal dose of an epidural anaesthetic drug into a vein, has highlighted the need to speed-up the introduction of a fail-safe systems to prevent 'wrong route' mistakes involving drugs. The potential for this sort of mistake happening with epidural drugs was highlighted in March 2007 by the National Patient Safety Agency.

Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Philip Bickford-Smith and Medical Scientist Alan Wagstaff have been working on a solution since 2001 to prevent clinical staff giving drugs to the wrong part of the body.

The Neurax® safety connector system has been designed to fit to a range of products used for spinal and epidural injections. Unique in the marketplace, the Neurax® system prevents a normal hypodermic syringe from being connected to spinal and epidural devices. Injections must be made using a dedicated syringe, infusion line or drug bag, which are all part of the Neurax® suite of products.

The Neurax® system, part of the B-Link medical connector 'family', has successfully passed a series of laboratory tests commissioned by the Department of Health. Clinical trials have been progressing since 2007 and the product is in its final stages of development.

Dr Philip Bickford-Smith comments:
"The B-Link medical connector system uses a unique coding system of shapes and sizes to ensure the correct route of delivery and avoid 'wrong-route' injections. A Neurax® syringe filled with drug intended for an epidural will not fit with any other medical connector, e.g. an intravenous bag or a feeding tube."

To find out more about Neurax® email: info@neurax.co.uk call Philip Bickford-Smith on 07966 277225 or Alan Wagstaff on 07791 031524 or see our website: www.neurax.co.uk