Fenwal Named Exclusive Provider of AccuVein's Award-Winning Vein Illumination Device for Blood and Plasma Centers

LAKE ZURICH, Ill., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

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The AccuVein AV300 is the first 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," said Dean Gregory, Fenwal senior vice president of Commercial Operations.  "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," said Vinny Luciano, AccuVein vice president.  "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."

About Fenwal

Fenwal, Inc. is a global medical technology company focused on improving blood collection, filtration, separation, storage and transfusion to ensure the availability, safety and effectiveness of blood components.  Fenwal is unique in the depth of its experience and commitment to transfusion medicine.  The company offers the broadest range of products for the automated and manual collection of blood and blood components.  Fenwal became an independent company in 2007, but its roots go back to 1949 with the founding of Fenwal Laboratories.  Fenwal developed the first flexible, single-use container for blood collection, eliminating complications associated with glass containers and allowing blood to be separated into therapeutic components.  Today, the company's products and advanced collection and separation technologies are used to help treat patients on six continents.  Fenwal, Inc. is based in Lake Zurich, Illinois.  For more information, please visit www.fenwalinc.com.

About AccuVein

AccuVein LLC is a supplier of innovative, cutting-edge medical devices. The AV300 is a breakthrough product, allowing health care providers to see a map of the position of peripheral veins on the skin's surface with the goal of helping to improve venipuncture procedures. Built using AccuVein's expertise in medical device miniaturization and user-intuitive design, the AV300 is the world's first portable, non-contact vein illumination solution. AccuVein has filed applications for more than a dozen patents on the AV300's technology.  It is in use at more than 300 U.S. hospitals and available for sale in 50 countries.  For more information on AccuVein's AV300, please visit www.accuvein.com

SOURCE Fenwal, Inc.