Gallium needles, a promising and potential alternative to IV needles

The use of IV needles is significant within healthcare, with helping to control the dosage of medication, and ensuring medication enters the bloodstream quickly. In addition, it is vital to the administration of a number of fluids, antibiotics and etc. Yet despite their widespread use, patients receiving IV therapy in hospitals have up to 50% chance of IV failure. Furthermore, over half of all patients requiring IV cannulation report experiencing pain and anxiety (Page and Taylor, 2010). Reasons for IV failure can include incorrect IV insertion, vein fragility as well as inflammation of the vein due to irritation.

An invasive procedure like peripheral intravenous cannula/catheter (PIVC) insertion is the most common procedure performed in healthcare settings (Jackson et al, 2013), yet despite this IV needles still pose numerous issues in healthcare settings. However a solution has been proposed regarding IV needle insertion, gallium needles. Gallium is a soft metal which melts just above room temperature (30C) and has been researched as an alternative material to use instead of the typical stainless steel needles. Current IV needles pose a number of potential risks due to their material. For example, they can cause infections due to healthcare workers accidentally poking themselves from used needles as well as the lack of compatibility between the needles (a rigid material) and our veins which are softer. As a result, the use of gallium needles offers a solution to these problems - it softens upon insertion - offering more biological compatibility and also minimises accidental poking.

Gallium needles have already been tested by a team of scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology who have developed an IV needle ‘P-CARE’ - standing for Phase, Convertible, Adapting and non-REusable - and the needle is enclosed in a silicon sheath.

The importance of a non-reusable needle stems from the fact that in 2008, the World Health Organisation estimated that 40% of 16 billion injections given worldwide were with reused syringes and needles without sterilisation. The impact of this was grave as it led on to cause 1.3 million deaths per year as well as almost 26 million years of life lost, mainly caused by Hepatitis B, C and HIV transmission.

The needle works by stiffening at room temperature which allows it to pierce the skin and be inserted into the vein. Temperature is detected using an ultra-thin temperature sensor to monitor temperature changes which can occur when a patient receives IV medication. Once inserted, the needle will melt, becoming flexible and therefore medication can be delivered. As gallium has a low melting point, and the process is irreversible, the needle will remain soft after being inserted therefore preventing accidental poking and re-use of a needle - which can both cause infections.

P-Care has been tested on mice, vein phantoms, and ex vivo porcine tissue and it was found to have worked just as effectively as stainless steel IV needles, with the risk of inflammation being reduced. Gallium needles have the potential to reduce a number of IV complications, serving as a promising development within healthcare that will hopefully reduce existing fears surrounding injections.

Written by Aaliyah

Moderated by Adelene

References

Sullivan, D. (2021). Intravenous Medication Administration. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/intravenous-medication-administration-what-to-know#introduction.

ivWatch. (2021). IV Failure: What are some common causes? We went digging. [online] Available at: https://www.ivwatch.com/2021/06/29/common-causes-of-iv-failure/.

Welyczko, N. (2020). British Journal of Nursing - Peripheral intravenous cannulation: reducing pain and local complications. [online] British Journal of Nursing. Available at: https://www.britishjournalofnursing.com/content/professional/peripheral-intravenous-cannulation-reducing-pain-and-local-complications.

euronews. (2023). Scared of injections? This floppy IV needle might change your mind. [online] Available at: https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/12/12/scared-of-injections-new-iv-needle-designed-to-go-soft-in-the-body-could-be-safer-and-hurt [Accessed 17 Jun. 2024]."