Merit—Drip Chambers Used with Fluid Administration Sets: Molding Defect May Occur in Fluid Administration Spike between Vent and Drip Channels, Potentially Interfering with Contrast Administration

​ECRI Institute's complete weekly summary of medical device hazard and recall information is available in ECRI Institute's Health Devices Alerts(HDA). For more information about HDA, contact us at clientservices@ecri.org.

In an August 12, 2016, Urgent Product Recall Notice letter submitted by an ECRI Institute member hospital, Merit states that a molding defect may occur in the fluid administration spike between vent channel and the drip channel. Merit also states that before use and during prep, when contrast is drawn out of the contrast bottle, air may be drawn into the contrast fluid channel from the vent channel, potentially resulting in the contrast having excess air bubbles and causing the burette to empty quickly and the blue ball to drop to the bottom of the chamber, interfering with contrast administration. Merit further states that it has received no reports of patient injury as a result of this problem. The manufacturer has not confirmed the...