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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who uses it: clinic and hospital staff who handle IV administration sets, buyers who need to read a catalog listing, and students learning infusion equipment. After reading, you should be able to say what a burette set is, how it differs from a standard IV set, and what each field on a Buretrol listing means.
What a Buretrol is
Buretrol is Baxter’s brand name for a burette IV set: a sterile, single-use IV administration set with a graduated burette chamber built into the line. In an FDA 510(k) summary for Baxter’s Interlink/Clearlink Buretrol solution sets (K123874), the sets are described as containing a burette chamber that can be used to mix supplementary medication in a measured amount of diluent from the main container. The same record gives the intended use as “administration of fluids from a container into the patient’s vascular system through a vascular access device.”
“Burette set,” “burette IV set” and “burette iv” are generic names for the same product class. People also search for “Volutrol” in the same context; this page does not state specifications for any product other than the Baxter listing cited below.
How a burette set differs from a standard IV set
A standard primary set runs fluid from the container to the patient. A burette set adds a measured chamber in the line. According to the FDA record, the set can deliver either metered (intermittent) or continuous infusion, and the mode is switched by closing the air vent at the top of the burette.
FDA regulates intravascular administration sets under 21 CFR 880.5440 (product code FPA, Class II). The K123874 submission reached a substantially equivalent decision on January 10, 2013, with two earlier burette sets as predicates: K984381 (Modified Buretrol Solution Sets, 1999) and K780970 (Burette Set with Air Control Lever, 1978). Related background: IV infusion pumps, IV bags, IV start kits and blood tubing.
Types and configurations
| Configuration | Source | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Ball valve | FDA 510(k) K123874 | Burette configuration named by valve type |
| Valveless | FDA 510(k) K123874 | Burette configuration with no valve |
| Drip chamber filter valve | FDA 510(k) K123874 | Filter valve at the drip chamber |
| Metered (intermittent) mode | FDA 510(k) K123874 | Air vent at the top of the burette closed |
Reading a Buretrol listing
The fields below come from Baxter’s catalog entry for one item, the BURETROL Solution Set 2R8864. They describe that item only and should not be assumed for every Buretrol or burette set.
| Listing field | Value on item 2R8864 | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Burette volume | 150 mL | Capacity of the measured chamber |
| Drops per mL | 60 | Drop factor of the drip chamber (a microdrip rate) |
| Length | 105.0 in. (2.7 m) | Overall set length |
| Drip chamber filter valve | Yes | Set includes the filter valve configuration |
| CLEARLINK Luer Activated Valves | 3 (1 in the burette) | Needle-free access points |
| Y-sites | 2 | Injection sites on the line |
| Spike | Non-vented | Spike type for the container |
| Connector | Male Luer lock adapter with retractable collar | Patient-end connection |
| Fluid path | Sterile, nonpyrogenic; non-DEHP | Manufacturer’s stated condition |
| Rx only | Yes | Labeled as a prescription device |
| Case quantity | 48 units | Packaging unit |
How to choose
The listing fields to compare are burette volume, drop factor, valve type, spike type and connector, checked against the manufacturer’s instructions for use and your facility’s clinical protocols. For general infusion supplies, see infusion supplies.
Safe use and handling basics
- The set is sterile and single use, and Baxter lists item 2R8864 as Rx only. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for any set you handle.
- Check recall notices. In 2014 Baxter recalled specific lots of Buretrol solution sets (Clearlink and Interlink models) after complaints of separation between the burette chamber and the drip chamber, per the Health Canada recall notice with a starting date of July 4, 2014. The notice says the root cause was identified and resolved.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one Baxter listing’s specifications (150 mL, 60 drops per mL) apply to every burette set.
- Confusing a burette IV set with laboratory titration burette glassware; a burette IV set is a patient-line administration device.
- Ignoring recall notices when stock is old or lots are mixed.
FAQ
What is a burette IV set?
A sterile, single-use IV administration set with a burette chamber, used for metered (intermittent) or continuous infusion according to the FDA record cited below.
Is Buretrol the same as a burette set?
Buretrol is Baxter’s brand of burette set. “Burette set” is the generic product class.
What does 60 drops per mL mean?
It is the drop factor of the drip chamber on Baxter item 2R8864, a microdrip rate.
Is a burette IV set a prescription device?
Baxter lists item 2R8864 as Rx only.
Sources
- Baxter product catalog, BURETROL Solution Set 2R8864, checked 2026-10-30: catalog.baxter.com item 2R8864.
- FDA 510(k) K123874, Baxter Interlink/Clearlink System Buretrol Solution Sets (21 CFR 880.5440, product code FPA), checked 2026-10-30: accessdata.fda.gov record K123874.
- Health Canada recall notice, Buretrol Solution Set Clearlink and Interlink, 2014-07-04, checked 2026-10-30: recalls-rappels.canada.ca notice.
