Product News

PINNACLE TPN Manager

B. Braun Medical Inc (Bethlehem, PA) recently launched PINNACLE Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) Manager, which complements the company's PINNACLE TPN Management System. The product's advanced computerized physician order entry and calculating software automates calculations and streamlines the TPN compounding process from the moment an order is entered by the pharmacist to the time it is infused into the patient. Designed with the pharmacist in mind, the easyto- use Windows-based PINNACLE TPN Manager features several advanced tools such as customized patient templates and reports to help ensure rapid and smooth delivery. For added safety, the software includes Trissel's Ca/P graphical compatibility curves, which were developed in collaboration with national drug compatibility expert Lawrence Trissel, RPh, to address calcium/ phosphate compatibility in an effort to reduce potential errors. In addition, the labels can be generated with bar-coded prescriptions to eliminate the need for manual entry on the compounder and the infusion pump. PINNACLE TPN Manager also promotes USP <797> guidelines for compliance. The guidelines are designed to provide standards of care in sterile pharmaceutical compounding. The product improves compliance with these guidelines through customized daily checklists that require completion of standard operating procedures to ensure proper environmental checks during compounding and through the ability to monitor and track the entire TPN process. For more information, visit www.bbraunusa.com, or call 800- 854-6851.

Heparin Sodium Injection USP

Baxter Healthcare Corp (Deerfield, IL) recently introduced a drug-safety initiative intended to help reduce medication errors by creating enhanced packaging that provides additional safeguards to assist clinicians in the correct identification of critical medicines. As 1 of the top 5 high-alert medications, as designated by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Heparin Sodium Injection USP, a commonly used anticoagulant, is the first medication with the improved label. The label features an increase of 20% font size, a unique color combination, and a large, red cautionary tear-off label. Heparin Sodium Injection is indicated for anticoagulant therapy in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thrombosis and its extension. The product is not a catheter lock-flush solution and should not be used for lock flush. For more information, visit www.baxter.com, or call 800-422-9837.

Repeater Pump II

Baxa Corp (Englewood, CO) recently launched the Repeater Pump II. The pump is designed to provide accurate delivery of pharmacy solutions into a variety of containers, without the need for calibration. The Repeater Pump II is the first no-calibration pharmacy pump and uses a fixed-volume pumping design commonly referred to as positive displacement. The positive displacement nature of the pump eliminates the need for calibration or adjustment, providing accurate liquid delivery regardless of the source container, final container, tubing diameter, and fluid viscosity. The Repeater Pump II's touch screen also simplifies the process because it eliminates buttons and knobs that can be hard to press. For more information, visit www.baxa.com, or call 800-567-BAXA (800-567-2292).

Triesence (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension)

Alcon Inc (Fort Worth, TX) recently received FDA approval for Triesence 40 mg/mL. The product is a preservativefree synthetic corticosteroid. The product is indicated for the treatment of the following ophthalmic diseases: sympathetic ophthalmia, temporal arteritis, uveitis, and ocular inflammatory conditions unresponsive to topical corticosteroids. The product also is indicated for visualization during vitrectomy. The initial recommended dose of Triesence for all indications except visualization is 4 mg (100 µL of 40-mg/mL suspension), with subsequent dosage as needed over the course of treatment. The recommended dose of Triesence for visualization is 1 mg to 4 mg (25- 100 µL of 40-mg/mL suspension) administered intravitreally. The product is available in a single-use, 1-mL vial containing 40 mg/mL of triamcinolone acetonide suspension. For more information, visit www.alcon.com, or call 800-TO-ALCON (800-862-5266).