ViaValve Safety IV Catheters

Blood exposure during peripheral IV insertion is one of the most common — and most preventable — risks clinicians face at the bedside. The Smiths Medical ViaValve line is built around a blood control septum that stops flashback from becoming a spill, keeping the insertion site and the clinician's hands clean during catheter advancement and connection. For nurses starting dozens of lines a shift, that means fewer gloves changed, less cleanup, and reduced occupational exposure.

Every ViaValve catheter in this collection pairs that blood control valve with a passive, fully retracting safety needle that shields automatically as the needle is withdrawn — no button to press, no second step to forget. The polyurethane catheters are radiopaque for easy confirmation under imaging, feature a sharp V-Point bevel for smooth first-stick insertion, and use color-coded hubs so staff can identify gauge at a glance.

We stock the range across the gauges you actually reach for. The 24-gauge yellow catheter (326310), 0.675 inch with a 24 mL/min flow rate, suits fragile, pediatric, and geriatric veins where a small profile matters. The 18-gauge green catheter (326510), 1.25 inch delivering 110 mL/min, handles rapid infusion, blood administration, and high-volume resuscitation. All are sterile, single-use, and supplied without an integrated port.

Choosing gauge comes down to the therapy: larger bore (lower gauge number) for viscous fluids and speed, smaller bore for comfort and vessel preservation. Facilities standardizing on passive safety devices to meet needlestick-prevention requirements will find ViaValve a straightforward fit for compliance programs.

Explore related peripheral access, IV start supplies, and infusion products across our IV Supplies collection to complete your cart.