The British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) has recently issued advice relating to the safe administration of sucrose solution for neonatal pain management1. The advice relates to an incident where the twist-off cap from an oral sucrose vial became lodged in an infant’s airway.
Delta Medical International supply sucrose solution (24%) in ampoules which do not have a replaceable twist-off cap. Due to the design, our sucrose solution cannot escape or leak from the ampoule even if it is left lying on its side. A replaceable cap is therefore not required, removing the risk reported in the above incident provided the seal is discarded safely when removed. After initial administration any unused sucrose solution left in the ampoule can be kept for later administration without the need for a cap, due to the hypertonic nature of the liquid. Delta Medical have a Technical Note on this subject which is available on request.
In addition to the advantages above, the Delta Medical ampoules are designed so that it is very easy to administer the sucrose solution a single drop at a time, giving complete control over the flow. This ensures correct dosage can be easily given and directed to the required area, typically the tip of the baby’s tongue. More information about the use of sucrose solution for neonatal pain management can be found on the sucrose solution product page.
Delta Medical have ensured that their 24% sucrose solution is very competitively priced and thus offers customers a cost-saving opportunity. For more information please contact us.
- British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM). Safety incident reported with twist off caps. 2020.
