Jet injector
Encyclopedia
Injection (medicine)
An injection is an infusion method of putting fluid into the body, usually with a hollow needle and a syringe which is pierced through the skin to a sufficient depth for the material to be forced into the body...
syringe
Syringe
A syringe is a simple pump consisting of a plunger that fits tightly in a tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed along inside a cylindrical tube , allowing the syringe to take in and expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube...
that uses a high-pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
narrow jet of the injection liquid instead of a hypodermic needle
Hypodermic needle
A hypodermic needle is a hollow needle commonly used with a syringe to inject substances into the body or extract fluids from it...
to penetrate the epidermis. They are powered by compressed air or gas, either by a pressure hose from a large cylinder
Gas cylinder
A gas cylinder is a pressure vessel used to store gases at above atmospheric pressure. High pressure gas cylinders are also called bottles. Although they are sometimes colloquially called "tanks", this is technically incorrect, as a tank is a vessel used to store liquids at ambient pressure and...
, or from a built-in gas cartridge or small cylinder.
They are used for mass vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
, or as an alternative to needle syringes for diabetics to inject insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
. As well as health uses, similar devices are used in other industries to inject grease or other fluid.
Types of jet injector
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
s in an extremely efficient manner. Invented by Aaron Ismach, these medical devices were bought in mass quantities by the US Government and provided to governments around the world to eradicate smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and other diseases. Servicemen in the Armed Forces were routinely injected with these medical devices to immunize them, and civilian usage included vaccinations during flu epidemics and the like. The Jet Injector is powered by electricity, while the Ped-O-Jet version is powered by a foot pump and does not require electricity to administer the vaccines. These devices have various specialized nozzles for different medication densities and also permitted the efficient inoculation of animal populations as well.
The Biojector 2000 is a make of gas-cartridge-powered jet injector. It is claimed that it can deliver intramuscular injection
Intramuscular injection
Intramuscular injection is the injection of a substance directly into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several alternative methods for the administration of medications . It is used for particular forms of medication that are administered in small amounts...
s and subcutaneous injection
Subcutaneous injection
A subcutaneous injection is administered as a bolus into the subcutis, the layer of skin directly below the dermis and epidermis, collectively referred to as the...
s up to 1 milliliter. The part which touches the patient's skin is single-use and can be replaced easily. It can be powered from a big compressed gas cylinder
Gas cylinder
A gas cylinder is a pressure vessel used to store gases at above atmospheric pressure. High pressure gas cylinders are also called bottles. Although they are sometimes colloquially called "tanks", this is technically incorrect, as a tank is a vessel used to store liquids at ambient pressure and...
instead of gas cartridges. It is made by Bioject.
Concerns
There have been relatively few incidents of disease transmission between users, despite widespread use of the jet injector by the military and in large-scale vaccination campaigns. Nevertheless, because the jet injector breaks barrier of the skin, there is a potential that biological material is transferred from one user to the next. Some viruses such as hepatitis B require less than one millionth of a millilitre to be transmitted so makers of injectors need to ensure there is no cross-contamination between applications. Regarding vaccination, the World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
states that jet injectors "are no longer recommended due to risks of disease transmission".
An experiment using mice
MICE
-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...
, published in 1985, showed that jets injectors would frequently transfer the viral infection LDV
Lactate dehydrogenase elevating virus
Lactate dehydrogenase elevating virus, or LDV for short, belongs to part of the arteriviridae family and the nidovirales order. Also included in the nidovirales order are the coronaviridae. The arteriviridae infect macrophages in animals and cause a variety of diseases...
from one mouse to another. Another study used the device on a calf, then tested the fluid remaining in the injector for blood. Every injector they tested had detectable blood in a quantity sufficient to pass on a virus such as hepatitis B.
From 1984-1985 a weight-loss clinic in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
injected a pregnancy hormone into their clients, mostly using a jet injector. It was noted that a number of these patients became sick with hepatitis. When studied, 57 out of 239 people who received the jet injection tested positive for hepatitis B.
As well as transmission between patients, jet injectors have inoculated bacteria from the environment into users. In 1988 a podiatry clinic used a jet injector to deliver local anaesthetic into patients' toes. Eight of these patients developed infections caused by Mycobacterium chelonae
Mycobacterium chelonae
Mycobacterium chelonae is a rapidly growing mycobacterium, that is found all throughout the environment including sewage and tap water. It can occasionally cause opportunistic infections of humans.It is grouped in Runyon group IV....
. The injector was stored in a container of water and disinfectant between use, and the container grew the same organism. This species of bacteria is sometimes found in tap water, and had been previously associated with infections from jet injectors.
History
- 19th century: Workmen in France had accidental jet injections with high-powered grease gunGrease gun (tool)A grease gun is a common workshop and garage tool used for lubrication. The purpose of the grease gun is to apply lubricant through an aperture to a specific point, usually on a grease fitting. The channels behind the grease nipple lead to where the lubrication is needed. The aperture may be of a...
s - 1920's: Diesel engineDiesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s begin to be made in large quantities: thus beginning a period of serious risk of accidental jet-injection by their fuel injectors in workshop accidents. - 1937: First known recorded accidental jet injection by a diesel engineDiesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
's fuel injector. - 1960: Aaron Ismach invented and patented the Jet Injector medical device which was used for quick mass vaccinationVaccinationVaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
for smallpox and other diseases. Ismach was assisted by Dr. Abram Benenson in developing the Jet Injector Gun. The new method met with tremendous success as teams vaccinated large numbers of people at collecting points in the affected countries. The foot operated gun was called the Ped-O-Jet and the electric operated gun was called the Jet Injector Gun. - 1962: Robert Andrew Hingson claimed to have invented a prototypePrototypeA prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
jet injector and called it the peace gun, for quick mass vaccinationVaccinationVaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
. But sometimes the injection process dislodged infected matter from a patient onto the nozzle of the injector, risking cross-infection. - 1964: Aaron Ismach was presented with a Gold Medal from the US Government for his efforts related to the Jet Injector Gun. The Jet Injector also appeared on postage stamps as a commemorative of his efforts.
- September 1966: The Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
series started, exposing the public to the idea of jet injectors under the name "hyposprayHyposprayA hypospray is a fictional version of a jet injector. Sometimes it is used as a verb "to hypospray" = "to use a hypospray on ".-In the Star Trek scenario:...
". - 1976: The USA Agency for International Development published a book called War on Hunger which detailed the War Against Smallpox which Ismach's Jet Injector gun was used to eradicate the disease in Africa and Asia. The US Government spent $150 million a year to prevent its recurrence in North America.
- 1997: The USA Department of DefenseUnited States Department of DefenseThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, the jet injector's biggest user, announced that it would stop using it for mass vaccinations due to concerns about infection. The DoD order Veterans info page
Popular culture
In the Star TrekStar Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise, and sometimes in other fictional scenarios and occasionally in the real world, it is called a hypospray
Hypospray
A hypospray is a fictional version of a jet injector. Sometimes it is used as a verb "to hypospray" = "to use a hypospray on ".-In the Star Trek scenario:...
.
Accidental jet injection
Accidents have happened in vehicle repair garages and elsewhere where one of these has unintentionally acted as a hypodermic jet injector:- A fuel injector of a diesel engineDiesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
. - A high-pressure grease gunGrease gun (tool)A grease gun is a common workshop and garage tool used for lubrication. The purpose of the grease gun is to apply lubricant through an aperture to a specific point, usually on a grease fitting. The channels behind the grease nipple lead to where the lubrication is needed. The aperture may be of a...
. - A pinhole leak in a tube supplying a high-powered grease gun from a separate grease pressure-tank.
- A pinhole leak in a tube of high pressure hydraulic oil equipment.
- A high pressure paint spray.
- A pressure washer.
High pressure injections of oil or paint can cause very serious injuries which may require amputation and can induce fatal blood poisoning. Particular care must be taken around high pressure sprays of this kind to avoid such injuries.
External links
- Problems in use of jet injectors by diabetics
- Memory Alpha (Star Trek Wiki) page about the hypospray
Web pages using "hypospray" for a real jet injector
These three references are all to articles in scientific periodicals:-- Comparison of two steroid preparations used to treat tennis elbow, using the hypospray (1975)
- The use of the hypospray in the treatment of minor orthopaedic conditions (1969)
- Use of the hypospray jet injector for intra-articular injection (1967)
- This link uses the name "hypospray" for an automatic tourniquetTourniquetAn emergency tourniquet is a tightly tied band applied around a body part sometimes used in an attempt to stop severe traumatic bleeding. Tourniquets are also used during venipuncture and other medical procedures. Severe bleeding means the loss of more than 1,000 ml of blood. This flow of blood...
.
External links about accidental jet injection
- http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/312/7044/1436 (registration required)
- http://www.napavalleypetroleum.com/msds_napa_no2_diesel_fuel.htm (scroll down to section 7)