Minimal residual volume luer activated stopcock

Cleveland, Ohio – Marvelous is a state-of-the-art specialized flow-control stopcock used for the administration of IV procedures, including medications, or as a blood sampling port in hemodynamic monitoring sets. Due to its unique design, the Marvelous stopcock ensures maximum safety of patients and medical staff during medical procedures at hospital ICUs and at other critical care facilities and outpatient clinics.

Marvelous was developed by Elcam Medical Ltd., the leading manufacturer of flow-control medical equipment, with the intention of reducing the risk of infection caused by microbial colonization in stopcocks - a prevalent and persistent threat in critical care facilities throughout the U.S. and Europe. 

Currently, medical personnel use CVCs (central venous catheters) during the administration of IV fluids and medications, and for sampling blood. Each CVC may contain several stopcocks, thereby posing a severe risk of infections developing along entry points in the catheter tunnel, which can easily spread through the bloodstream or metastasize throughout the body. One of the sources of such type of infections is microbial colonization in “dead spaces”, which, despite standard flushing procedures, cannot be completely cleared of fluid remnants. Colonization in this area is stimulated particularly while the catheter is connected to a blood vessel in a patient, with further contamination propelled by recurrent manipulation of the stopcock.   

The Marvelous stopcock flushes automatically any fluids remaining inside the stopcock, assuring minimal residual volume, keeping the stopcock clean after blood sampling. This eliminates the risk of blood clotting and prevents bacterial colonization. In addition, an integrated luer-activated valve serves as a bacterial barrier, creating a closed circuit that is accessible without opening it to air. This further lowers the risk of microbial colonization inside the stopcocks, preventing catheter contamination and reducing the chance of infection. It also reduces the risk of needle stick injuries and prevents blood spillage, which is hazardous both for patients and medical staff alike.

Eliminating the need to use cannulas, needles, or caps, the Marvelous stopcock reduces operational costs, and is simple to operate. Easily swab-able, minimizing the risk of air bubbles, stopcock manipulation is reduced, saving time while setting up a patient’s IV; adjusting a medication regimen in an IV line; or drawing blood.

The Marvelous stopcock additionally provides efficient pressure monitoring without signal damping, by assuring complete separation between the flow path and the valve by the handle. “The novelty of the Marvelous stopcock is in its simple design, aimed at preventing microbial contamination. Our longstanding commitment to helping medical personnel worldwide in their relentless efforts to prevent healthcare-facility-acquired infections, has propelled us to develop innovative flow-control solutions that combine ergonomics with profound medical knowledge and understanding”, said Mr. David Ziv, VP Marketing of Elcam Ltd.

According to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 80,000 catheter-related bloodstream infections from ICUs in the U.S.A. are reported each year. 

Source: Elcam Medical