WHAT KIND OF REGIONAL ANESTHESIA EQUIPMENT YOU USE: PORTEX, BRAUN, B-D, ARROW, OTHER?

The second CSEN Global Survey focused on the market`s share of the big companies.

We should not forget that the first failure of spinal anesthesia was due to equipment failure: August Bier, on August 24, 1898, asked his assistant Dr. Hilderbrandt "to perform a lumbar puncture on me", 8 days after he first performed it on a 34 year old patient for excision of a tuberculous capsule at the ankle joint. Bier wrote that he did not feel any discomfort "except for a quick flash of pain in one leg at the moment that the needle penetrated the meninges.Unfortunaetly, the experiment was not successful because of an error ( the syringe did not fit the needle tightly...and consequently some CSF ran out and most of the cocaine was lost). No sensory loss ensued.

On April 26, 1997, emails were sent to 636 anesthesiologists in 60 countries asking them the following question: What kind of regional anesthesia equipment you use: Portex, Braun, B-D, Arrow, other?

26 emails returned undelivered. 92 anesthesiologists responded (response rate: 15%).

The global market`s share of the big companies according to this study is as follows:

Portex - 32.6%

Braun - 27.1%

B-D - 10.8%

Arrow - 3.2%

Vygon - 3.2%

Abbot - 3.2%

Hakko - 2.1%

Preferred Medical Products - 2.1%

Balton - 1%

Yale - 1%

Edwards - 1%

Top - 1%

There were anesthesiologists who responded that they are using several kinds of equipment:

Portex + Braun: 5.4%

Portex + B-D: 2.1%

Portex + Braun + B-D: 1%

Portex + Arrow: 1%

Braun + Abbot: 1%

It seems that the 3 big companies (Portex, Braun and B-D) are providing 80% of the global market.

However, the most "original" response came from Australia: "None. I think it should not be used..."