Luther Develops New Catheter Needle

Luther Medical Products Inc. said it has developed a new catheter needle with a sliding guard to protect health-care workers from accidentally sticking themselves with contaminated needles.

Shipments of the Luther “SafeSide” catheter needle--for which patents are pending--are expected to begin in June, said Ron Luther, the Santa Ana-based company’s founder and chief executive. During 1987, he said, Luther Medical expects to sell about $500,000 worth of the device.

The SafeSide needle has a tubular plastic guard that automatically locks into place around the needle as it is withdrawn from the patient, virtually eliminating the danger of contamination from accidental puncture by the used needle, Luther said.

Doctors and nurses who accidentally stick themselves with contaminated needles risk being infected with the Hepatitis B virus, and to a lesser degree the deadly AIDS virus, according to health care experts.