Milestones in Infusion Therapy

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Pioneering work: Safety, quality and comfort

Infusion solutions, rigid metal cannulas and fragile glass vials – that’s how infusion therapy started back in the 1930s. B. Braun did pioneering work in the early days of infusion solutions: Sterofundin was one of the first infusion solutions to be produced industrially. To this day, it is an indispensable part of modern medicine. 

Otto Braun, who was commercial director at the time, took care to ensure the profitability of product development. Dr. Bernd Braun was a scientist and inventor who, with his engineers, conducted experiments in search of the best solution. The focus was on user safety and patient comfort. Rigid metal cannulas are uncomfortable and glass containers break easily. The high cost of containers meant that they were reused, leading to an increased risk of bacterial contamination.

B. Braun made a breakthrough in the 1950s: the development of single-use infusion equipment made of plastic. Shortly afterwards, the brothers invented their real moneymaker: the Braunüle. Users and patients alike experienced its increased safety, and its convenient, comfortable flexibility under sterile conditions. The company led the way in pump development, as it does today. Already in 1951, B. Braun offered the predecessor of what became the Perfusor, a dosage pump for the IV drug administration.

The Infusomat, the first volumetric infusion pump, followed in 1971. To this day, B. Braun is a leader in infusion therapy. Braunüle and Perfusor have become generic terms, synonymous with the quality and safety that we continue to develop. In 2012 we introduced Introcan® Safety 3, featuring an integrated, self-sealing valve that prevents blood leakage and protects against infection.