Collection: IV Cannulas

IV Cannulas

A peripheral IV cannula is a short, flexible plastic catheter placed in a vein so that fluids and medicines can be given, or blood taken, without repeated needle sticks. We stock IV cannulas from BD (Venflon, Neoflon and Saf-T-Intima), Terumo (Versatus, Surshield and Surflo) and B. Braun (Introcan Safety) for hospitals, clinics, aesthetic and IV therapy practices.

Choosing a gauge

Cannulas are colour coded by gauge. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the cannula and the faster the flow.

• 14G (orange) and 16G (grey): rapid fluid replacement and trauma
• 18G (green): blood transfusion and fast infusions
• 20G (pink) and 22G (blue): routine IV fluids and medicines in adults
• 24G (yellow) and 26G (violet): small or fragile veins, children and older patients

Choose the smallest gauge that will deliver the treatment, as a smaller cannula is more comfortable and less likely to cause phlebitis.

Safety, ported and winged designs

Safety cannulas such as the BD Venflon Pro Safety, Terumo Surshield and B. Braun Introcan Safety shield the needle tip after insertion, helping you meet the Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013. Ported cannulas have an injection port on top for giving bolus doses, and wings help secure the cannula to the skin. Closed systems such as BD Saf-T-Intima reduce blood exposure during insertion.

Related ranges

See all needles and syringes, the wider injection and infusion range and sharps bins for safe disposal.