Linear Health Sciences Ramps Up Orchid SRV IV Safety Device Commercialization

Linear Health Sciences has expanded the commercialization of its Orchid SRV tension-activated breakaway safety release valve through an agreement with Health Care Technology (HCT) covering distribution in six New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia; and an agreement with McArthur Medical covering all of Canada.

“HCT is very excited to be partnering with Linear Health Sciences. Linear’s Orchid technology will drastically improve patient care related to IV infusion and safe IV therapy practice,” HCT CEO Adam Benson said.
 
Dislodgement of IV catheters is a significant problem that often flies under the radar. More than 340 million peripheral IVs are administered in the U.S. each year;¹ dislodgement and associated failure modes are estimated to cost the American healthcare system more than $340 million annually.² The Orchid SRV, a sterile, single-use connector for needle-free access, makes return to treatment fast, simple, and clean, while improving both the patient and clinician experience. Placed between the existing IV extension set and general IV tubing connection, when tension (of up to 3.25 lbs.) acts on the IV line, the valve separates and seals off both sides of the IV, creating a sterile barrier. The clinician then restores the line simply by removing the separated halves and replacing them with a new, pre-packaged, sterile valve.
 
Clinical simulation testing of 360 Orchid SRVs showed that the device prevented IV dislodgement by 91.1% across all test groups. The Orchid SRV is indicated for use during direct injection, intermittent infusion, and continuous infusion.
 
“Our team of clinicians gets inspired when they see innovations like the Orchid from Linear Health Science,” said Frank Fiorenza, vice president of sales and marketing at McArthur Medical, the Canadian distribution arm of Linear Health Sciences. “This is a product that will help staff manage workload and improve patient satisfaction.”
 
“An important part of our mission is helping to raise awareness of the impact of IV dislodgment and the larger issue of premature catheter failure,” Linear Health Sciences CEO and Co-Founder Dan Clark stated. “In addition to expanding patient access to this ground-breaking safety technology, we expect these agreements to be instrumental in calling attention to this important patient safety issue and ultimately to help educate the market on a failure mode that is too often considered normal.”
 
Linear Health Sciences has developed a proprietary, breakaway safety valve technology designed to improve the use of medical tubing in hospitals. The platform technology was developed to increase the safety and satisfaction of patients, caregivers, and healthcare facilities, while dramatically reducing costs. The company’s initial products include the Orchid SRV for use in IV catheter therapy and the Orchid SRV Type D device for use in surgical/wound, nephrostomy and abscess drainage. 

References 
¹ iData research report
² Helm, et al. “Accepted but unacceptable: peripheral IV catheter failure” J Infus Nurs May-Jun 2015;38(3):189-203. doi: 10.1097/NAN.0000000000000100