One Liners

ALL medical devices can fail but an increasing number of incidents that result in significant morbidity or mortality arise out of user/device interface problems or because of poor practices. The aim of this news sheet is to detail briefly some of these problems in an attempt to make users more aware of what can go wrong - it is all too easy to take equiment for granted...

Some editions focus on a specific device or theme or are of interest to primary care trusts.

Latest One Liners

• 24 Jul 2008| One Liners issue 60 - July 2008

  This news sheet is aimed at healthcare professionals and highlights problems with the use of medical devices. This issue covers topics including multi-lumen IV extension lines, tracheostomy tubes, laryngoscopes, resuscitation bags and vascular closure devices.

• 01 Jul 2008| One Liners issue 59 - June 2008

  This news sheet is aimed at healthcare professionals and highlights problems with the use of walking aids.  We continue to receive a significant number of reports where problems have occurred and aim to advise users how to avoid these problems in the future. This information has also been issued to care homes through the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and under issue number SC 05

• 16 Jun 2008| One Liners issue 58 - May 2008

  This news sheet is aimed at healthcare professionals and highlights problems with the use of medical devices.  This issue covers topics including intrathecal drug pumps leaking at their connector site, partial collapse of ambulance stretcher trolleys and cracked plastic mounting brackets on ‘trombone’ type bed rails.

• 06 May 2008| One Liners issue 57 - April 2008

  This news sheet is aimed at healthcare professionals and highlights problems with the use of medical devices. This issue covers topics including blood glucose meters, mechanical chest compression devices and an electrostatic breathing system filter.

• 04 Apr 2008| One Liners issue 56 - March 2008

  This news sheet is aimed at healthcare professionals and highlights problems with the use of medical devices. This issue is concerned entirely with the problems associated with wound dressings

• 21 Feb 2008| One Liners issue 55 - January 2008

  This news sheet aimed at healthcare professionals and which highlights problems with medical devices, includes general waste containers leaching substances into the collected urine specimen, a portable examination couch collapsing and folding up during treatment, and the rupture of a medical air hose connected on an intensive care ventilator.

• 20 Dec 2007| One Liners issue 54 - December 2007

  This news sheet aimed at laboratory staff, details some of the device problems that have been reported to us which relate to the use IVDs or their results.

• 05 Dec 2007| One Liners issue 53 - November 2007

  This news sheet aimed at healthcare professionals, which highlights problems with the use of medical devices, covers topics including needles disconnecting from holders during blood collection, backtracking in multi-lumen extension sets and failure to produce an effective spinal block.

• 23 Oct 2007| One Liners issue 52 - October 2007

  The aim of this edition is to highlight incidents involving hoists and slings, which have resulted in injury or even death. It warns users of what can go wrong and how to avoid problems in the future. This special edition has only been issued to Social Care homes via the CSCI network.

• 01 Oct 2007| One Liners issue 51 - September 2007

  A significant number of issues reported to us relate to anaesthetic and ventilation devices. We have dedicated this issue to highlighting a number of recent problems in this area.