Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
On this page
Who uses it: nurses and infusion clinicians who connect it, and clinic buyers, supply staff and students who need to read an extension set’s label and record correctly. After reading you should be able to say what an IV extension set is, how FDA classifies it, and which labeled values (length, priming volume, configuration) differ between products.
What IV extension tubing is
An IV extension set is a short length of tubing with connectors that extends the line of an intravenous administration set. The GMDN term on the product records is “Intravenous administration tubing extension set”, defined as a collection of tubing and connectors intended to establish an extension of tubing where the standard length of the tubing in an intravenous (IV) administration set is insufficient, and as a single-use device (FDA AccessGUDID, checked 2026-10-30). Searchers also call it “extension tubing” or an “extension set”.
Under US regulation it falls inside the intravascular administration set identification in 21 CFR 880.5440: a device used to administer fluids from a container to a patient’s vascular system through a needle or catheter inserted into a vein. The listed components include tubing, a flow regulator, connectors between parts of the set and a side tube with a cap to serve as an injection site. The classification is Class II (special controls) (21 CFR 880.5440, checked 2026-10-30). The extension-set records cited on this page carry FDA product code FPA, “Set, administration, intravascular”.
How it is built
The AccessGUDID records describe sets as tubing plus connectors and, depending on the model, clamps and needleless connectors. The descriptions mention a rotating male luer, female adapters with a spin collar, MicroClave connectors and one to three clamps. Tubing material and inner diameter are not listed on these records; the manufacturer’s instructions for use are the place for those details.
Types and variants
| Type (as named on the record) | What the record shows | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Microbore extension set | B. Braun V5450: 31 in (79 cm), priming volume 0.7 mL (record) | Single line; labeled microbore |
| Bifurcated (two-branch) microbore set | AMSINO AMSafe MB4BR07: 7 in (18 cm), 2 MicroClave connectors, 3 clamps, rotating male luer (record) | Two connector branches on one line |
| Y-type microbore set | ICU Medical Lifeshield 1233028: 6 in, 2 female adapters, spin collar (record) | Y configuration with two female adapters |
| T-connector set | Covered in the T-connector IV extension set | Branch port at a T junction |
Lengths and priming volumes on real records
Priming volume is the fluid volume the set holds. Four AccessGUDID records (checked 2026-10-30) show it is not set by length alone:
| Record | Configuration | Length | Labeled priming volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifeshield 1233028 | Y-type, microbore | 6 in | approx. 0.5 mL |
| B. Braun V5450 | Single line, microbore | 31 in (79 cm) | 0.7 mL |
| AMSafe MB4BR05 | Bifurcated, microbore | 5 in (13 cm) | approx. 1.2 mL |
| AMSafe MB4BR07 | Bifurcated, microbore | 7 in (18 cm) | approx. 1.3 mL |
Across these records the longest set (31 in) is labeled at 0.7 mL, while two sets of 5 and 7 in are labeled at 1.2 and 1.3 mL. The values come from different manufacturers, so the comparison shows only that length does not predict priming volume; configuration, connectors and tubing bore also matter.
How to choose: read the label
The fields the records themselves publish are the practical basis for comparison. Compare, on the label or record: the stated length; the stated priming volume; the configuration (single line, Y-type, bifurcated, T-connector); the connector types (rotating male luer, female adapter, MicroClave); and the labeling flags below. Selection for a particular infusion belongs to the prescriber and facility protocol, not to this page.
Reading the record flags
- Single use: all four records say yes.
- Sterile: all four records list the device as sterile.
- Prescription use: all four list prescription use as yes.
- Latex: all four are labeled “not made with natural rubber latex”.
Safe use and handling basics
The records identify extension sets as single-use, sterile devices. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and your facility’s policy; this page does not give procedure steps.
Common mistakes when reading product listings
- Assuming a longer set holds more fluid; the records above show otherwise.
- Treating “microbore” as a size: the records name it but publish no inner diameter, so compare the labeled priming volume instead.
- Applying one model’s priming volume to a different configuration of the same product family.
Related reading: IV roller clamp, closed IV catheter system, PCA tubing. Supplies in this category are listed under infusion supplies.
FAQ
What is an IV extension set?
A single-use tubing-and-connector assembly that extends the tubing of an IV administration set where the standard length is insufficient (GMDN definition on AccessGUDID, checked 2026-10-30).
How does FDA classify IV extension tubing?
It sits within 21 CFR 880.5440, intravascular administration sets, Class II (special controls). The cited records use product code FPA.
Is extension tubing the same as a T-connector set?
A T-connector set is one configuration of extension set; see the T-connector guide linked above.
Sources
- 21 CFR 880.5440 Intravascular administration set, checked 2026-10-30.
- FDA AccessGUDID device records 04046964189050, 10704411005667, 10704411005674, 10887787005223, checked 2026-10-30.
