Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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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 gravity IV administration sets, students, and buyers who need to read a set’s specification correctly. After reading, you should be able to say what “microdrip” and “macrodrip” refer to, find the drops/mL value on a set or its device record, and tell it apart from other IV set features.
What microdrip and macrodrip tubing mean
Microdrip and macrodrip are informal names for IV administration sets by the size of the drop their drip chamber delivers, expressed as drops per millilitre (the “drop factor”). In common usage, “microdrip” refers to sets delivering about 60 drops/mL, and “macrodrip” to sets with a lower count such as 15 or 20 drops/mL. This naming is common usage; the manufacturer and regulator records below state only the drops/mL number, so the labels “microdrip” and “macrodrip” are used here as shorthand for those ranges.
Both belong to the same device class. The GMDN definition used in FDA’s AccessGUDID describes a basic intravenous administration set as “A collection of noninvasive devices intended to conduct fluids from an intravenous (IV) administration bag/bottle”, delivered to a peripheral venous cannula by gravity or by pump. It adds that the set “typically includes tubing, connectors, chambers, and clamps”. Microdrip is therefore a property of the drip chamber, not a separate device type.
Drop factor values on real sets
Three published product records show that 15, 20 and about 60 drops/mL are real labelled values:
| Set | Drops/mL | Other stated specifications | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| B. Braun IV administration set, item 490507 | 15 | Single-use, sterile packaged, prescription use, not made with natural rubber latex | FDA/NLM AccessGUDID |
| BD gravity administration set, SKU 42293E | 20 | Approx. length 264 cm; approx. priming volume 17 mL | BD product page |
| Baxter BURETROL solution set 2R8864 (150 mL burette) | Approx. 60 | Approx. length 105 in. (2.7 m); non-DEHP | Baxter catalog |
Baxter states the number only; calling about 60 drops/mL “microdrip” is the common usage described above. The CASRAI guide to the Buretrol burette IV set covers that product in detail.
How an administration set is built
The GMDN definition in AccessGUDID says a basic IV administration set “typically includes tubing, connectors, chambers, and clamps”. The two manufacturer pages below show how those parts appear on specific sets:
- BD 42293E: standardbore tubing, a roller clamp, no filter, two SmartSite Y-sites, one backcheck valve, a 2-piece male luer lock, and a fluid path listed as sterile. The page lists natural latex as “No”.
- Baxter BURETROL 2R8864: a 150 mL burette with a drip chamber filter valve, three CLEARLINK luer-activated valves (one in the burette), two Y-sites, a non-vented spike, a retractable collar on a male luer lock adapter, and a non-DEHP, sterile and nonpyrogenic fluid path.
Types and variants
The three records above show three kinds of set that differ in drop factor and in whether a burette is built in. This is not a complete catalogue of IV sets.
| Variant | Drops/mL on the record | Distinguishing features stated by the source | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macrodrip-range gravity set | 15 | Basic administration set; single-use, sterile packaged | B. Braun item 490507 (AccessGUDID) |
| Macrodrip-range gravity set | 20 | Roller clamp, two Y-sites, backcheck valve, no filter | BD 42293E |
| Microdrip-range burette set | Approx. 60 | 150 mL burette, drip chamber filter valve, three luer-activated valves | Baxter BURETROL 2R8864 |
Because “microdrip” and “macrodrip” are informal labels, the burette in the last row is a separate feature from the drop factor: a set’s drops/mL and its burette are listed as separate specifications.
How to choose: what to check on a set’s specification
This is a reading checklist, not a recommendation. Which set is appropriate is a clinical and facility decision.
- The printed drops/mL value (15, 20 or about 60 on the records above).
- Whether the labelling covers gravity use, pump use or both (the GMDN definition covers gravity and pump administration).
- Tubing length and priming volume where the manufacturer lists them (BD lists about 264 cm and about 17 mL; Baxter lists about 105 in.).
- Material statements the manufacturer makes, such as natural rubber latex (BD and AccessGUDID: not made with it) or non-DEHP (Baxter).
- Built-in components: filter, burette, number of Y-sites and valves.
Where the drop factor appears
The value is part of the product’s own specification. BD lists it as “Drop” on its product page, and AccessGUDID carries it in the device description (“IV administration set with 15 drops/mL”). FDA’s product code for this class is FPA, “Set, administration, intravascular”. Reading the number from the set’s label or its device record is more reliable than inferring it from the words “micro” or “macro”.
Safe use and handling basics
- The records above describe these sets as single-use and sterile-packaged, with prescription-use labelling (AccessGUDID record for item 490507).
- Use a set only as its manufacturer’s instructions for use direct, and follow your facility’s policies. For how the parts of an IV system fit together, see IV supplies: components and CDC replacement intervals, what an IV infusion pump is and what an IV start kit contains.
- The GMDN definition covers both gravity and pump administration, so check the product’s labelling for which it is intended for.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a drop factor from the product name or the tubing’s appearance instead of reading the printed value.
- Treating microdrip as a different product category. It is one setting of a specification shared by all sets in the class.
- Assuming that all “macrodrip” sets share one number. The table shows 15 and 20 drops/mL.
FAQ
What is the difference between microdrip and macrodrip tubing?
The drop size, stated as drops per mL. In common usage microdrip means about 60 drops/mL and macrodrip a lower count such as 15 or 20, as in the table above.
Where do I find a set’s drop factor?
On its labelling and manufacturer product page, or in the device record. AccessGUDID lists drops/mL in the description of the B. Braun set above.
Is microdrip a separate type of IV set?
No. Under the GMDN definition used by FDA’s database, both fall under the basic IV administration set.
Looking for related product categories? See infusion supplies.
Sources
- FDA/NLM AccessGUDID, device record 04046955135790 (B. Braun item 490507): https://accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/04046955135790 (checked 2026-10-30).
- BD, gravity administration set SKU 42293E product page: https://www.bd.com/en-us/products-and-solutions/products/product-print-page.42293E (checked 2026-10-30).
- Baxter US catalog, BURETROL solution set 2R8864: catalog.baxter.com product page 2R8864 (checked 2026-10-30).
