Peripheral Intravenous Cannula Usage in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Over a billion Peripheral Intra-Venous Cannulas (PIVC) are used globally every year with at least 25 million sold annually in the UK.^1,2 The NHS spends an estimated £29m of its annual acute sector budget on PIVC procurement3 and around 70% of all hospitalised patients require at least one PIVC during their stay.4 Despite their extensive and routine use, PIVC failure rates are reported as high as 50-69%.^5-7 In addition, many PIVCs remain unused following insertion, particularly in the Emergency Department (ED).^8,9 The risk factors for PIVC failure are not well understood and the literature has found extensive regional variation in practice when it comes to PIVC insertion and management.^1,7,10 While various technologies have been developed to address these issues, there remains a need for standardised, evidence-based guidelines.