What Is The Y Infusion Set?

The Y Infusion Set is an infusion set with a Y injection site or Y port, a type of injection port. The infusion set is generally used to administer intravenous fluids into the body, such as maintenance solutions and medications. Intravenous administration includes a single injection with subsequent catheter insertion into the vein. Through the Y port, medical workers can add additional medicines or deliver multiple doses of fluids without injecting the patient for each occurrence. So Y port IV tubing is very useful for infusion.

An infusion set mainly comprises flexible tubing made from medical polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a variety of parts. The tubing allows the desired fluid to be delivered into the patient’s body through the vein. The flow of fluid is aided by gravity. This is why the infusion set is permanently placed higher than the patient.

Medical PVC is widely used in medical equipment because of low-cost, compressible, and safe for medical use under all circumstances. Compressibility allows medical staff to remove air bubbles along with the tubing.

Parts of the Y Type Infusion Set 

Plastic Spike

Some parts are attached to the tubing. The uppermost part of the Y infusion set is a plastic spike with a cap and air vent, which will be plugged into the desired intravenous fluid container. The plastic spike is made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which is rigid and resistant to impact, which makes it tough enough to penetrate rubber plugs of intravenous fluid containers. The fluid will then flow through the spike tip to the drip chamber. When it is not plugged in, the cap is attached to ensure the hygiene of the spike. The cap must always be sterile to avoid contamination, and any manipulation would require prior sanitization.

Drip Chamber

The drip chamber connects with the spike. Intravenous fluid collects in the drip chamber before entering the tubings. It is the site where medical staff observe the flow rate and confirm the flow. The drip chamber is made from medical PVC, which is flexible and compressible. This is so that the drip chamber can be compressed when necessary, such as to decrease the volume of fluid flowing into the drip chamber. At the bottom of the drip chamber is the solution filter, where the infusion fluid is suspended. As its name suggests, it is a filter that sieves out unwanted particles, such as debris and pathogenic microorganisms, that have contaminated the intravenous fluid.

Flow Regulator

Following the drip chamber is the flow regulator, which is in charge of maintaining the prescribed flow rate of the infusion fluid. The flow regulator includes the roller clamp, which is made from polyethylene (PE) or ABS. PE is strong, lightweight, and resistant to corrosion as well as chemicals. The roller clamp regulates the fluid flow rate by compressing the tubing without damaging it. It can also half-fluid flow entirely when needed.

Y Injection Port

Subsequently, there is the Y injection port. The Y injection port is a three-way connector in which two ends are adjacent to the tubing of the infusion set, and one end is the injection site. The Y injection port is made from ABS and isoprene or natural rubber. Isoprene is its latex-free rubber, which is suitable for those with latex allergies. As mentioned previously, ABS is rigid and has resistance to chemicals, heat, and physical manipulation. This is why it is used for the Y injection port.

There are many types of injection sites. Each of them is used in different conditions, depending on the patient’s requirements. The injection sites are essential such that they serve as the point of entry for vaccines, drugs, or therapeutic medicine into the patient’s body. Depending on the type of injection site, syringes with needles attached may or may not be required, as there are needleless attachments on certain injection sites. The Y injection site is made from natural rubber or isoprene. Similarly, the isoprene equivalent is latex-free. The Y injection site is covered by a leak-proof non-removable rubber membrane which allows for the acute administration of emergency drugs into the patient’s body.

Luer Lock Connector and Hypodermic Needle 

The Y infusion port is then followed by the rotating Luer lock connector. This attaches the hypodermic needle to the tubing. The hypodermic needle is the last component of the Y Infusion Set. It is the structure that pierces the vein of the patient and connects the infusion set to the patient’s body directly. The diameter of the needle indirectly regulates the flow rate, such that the wider the diameter, the higher the flow rate.

Benefits

The Y Infusion Set can provide a secondary point of access in the patient’s intravenous tubing, allowing the intermittent infusion of additional intravenous fluids such as medications. Basically, this means the second infusion fluid would be attached to the same line as the primary infusion set. The most common primary fluid is maintenance fluids, such as a regular saline infusion. The secondary fluid administered through the Y injection site is usually medication, such as an antibiotic.

The benefit of the Y Infusion Set is that two fluids can be administered at the same time. For example, healthcare workers can administer a carrier and a medication or two medications simultaneously. This reduces the requirement of connections and disconnections of infusion sets, which saves time for healthcare providers and greatly decreases the risk of contamination. The Y Infusion Set must be set up correctly for the infusion of the secondary fluid to be carried out smoothly.