Baxter International issued an urgent device correction Oct. 29 related to all of its Spectrum infusion pumps. The devicemaker said that deviations from specific cleaning methods may impair the pumps' functionality and performance.
Baxter said it has received 16 reports of serious injury that may have been caused by improper cleaning of the devices leading to residue buildup or corrosion.
The company said that deviating from cleaning methods described in the operation manual may cause corrosion of electrical pins on the infusion pump, which could cause the pump to shut down without alerting the user. This could cause an interruption in patients' medication delivery, which could cause serious adverse health consequences or death, Baxter said.
Baxter is recommending providers have backup devices readily available when infusing critical medications and said the pumps should be connected to AC power whenever possible to prevent battery depletion.
Read the full warning here.