Fenwal signs deal with AccuVein

LAKE ZURICH Fenwal Inc., a global medical technology company focused on improving blood collection, separation, safety and availability, announced today it has signed a three-year, exclusive agreement with AccuVein LLC to sell, market and distribute the AccuVein AV300 vein illumination device to blood and plasma centers in North America.

The AccuVein AV300 is a hand-held, non-contact, vein illumination device designed to assist medical professionals in locating veins for blood donation, injection and for starting patients on intravenous fluids.  

Held about seven inches above the skin, the device detects hemoglobin in veins and projects a map of the veins on the skin's surface.  For medical professionals, donors and patients, this can make locating needle placement a much easier and more comfortable experience.

The AccuVein AV300 received the 2010 Medical Design Excellence Award, the premier awards program for the medical technology community, and was named a 2009 Best New Product for Pediatricians by Contemporary Pediatrics magazine.  

“The response to the AccuVein AV300 in tests with U.S. blood centers was overwhelmingly positive, Dean Gregory, Fenwal senior vice president of Commercial Operations, said in a statement.  “Staff and donors see this as an innovation that makes an immediate difference in donor comfort, while improving center productivity and increasing collections.

In evaluations during two community blood drives, the device helped increase collections by reducing by 75 percent deferrals due to difficulty with vein location.  In a recent AccuVein survey, eight out of 10 blood donors reported they would be more likely to donate if vein illumination was used.

“Fenwal is a trusted leader in transfusion medicine, Vinny Luciano, AccuVein vice president, said in a statement.  “Fenwal's broad knowledge and extensive reach across blood and plasma centers will help us assure all health care practitioners have access to the AccuVein illumination device and the benefits it provides to practitioners, patients and donors.