Firefly Vein Light Model 2.0, USB-C Rechargeable

Product Highlights:

• Pediatric transillumination designed for infants and children under 2, where veins hide under baby fat²
• 4 lumen settings: 7, 14, 22 and 29. Low for NICU and newborns, high for heavier or darker-skinned patients and deeper veins¹²³
• Badge size: 2.5 x 1 x 5/8 inch with a patent-pending ID badge loop¹
• Studded traction surface (patent pending) helps hold the light steady under the limb¹
• USB-C rechargeable, cordless, with one USB-C cord included¹
• Internal thermal sensor shuts the light off if internal heat builds, to protect delicate skin¹³
• Wipe clean between patients with common hospital wipes; optional single-use Firefly Vein Light Disposable Covers, 100/Case¹⁴
• Made in the USA: engineered, manufactured, assembled and distributed in the USA with some certified foreign parts; ISO 13485 manufacturing in Livonia, MI¹⁵

Applications:

Clinical and Operational Use:

What is venous transillumination? A bright light is pressed against the skin and shines through the limb. Blood in the veins absorbs the light, so veins appear as dark lines against glowing tissue. It works best in infants and young children; as cartilage and fat turn into denser bone and muscle with age, less light passes through.³

Evidence. A meta-analysis of randomized trials in children found transilluminators raised first-attempt peripheral IV success (RR 1.34).⁶ In a randomized trial of residents placing IVs in neonates, first-attempt success was 55% with transillumination vs 34% without in infants over 1,500 g, with no difference at or under 1,500 g.⁷ In children with difficult venous access, LED and infrared transillumination performed similarly.⁸ In Firefly's own 2023 analysis of 283 IV starts in 14 states, average first-attempt success was 78.8%, 80% in the hands and 84% in infants under 5 kg.⁹

Firefly IV technique for infants (from the Firefly Infant and Newborn IV Training Guide):²

1. Pick a distal site first: hands, then foot or ankle, forearm, then scalp. Avoid flexion sites and veins reserved for a PICC.
2. Warm the site with heel warmers only, then swaddle or hand-hug the infant. A second person holds the elbow or knee.
3. Apply the tourniquet just proximal to the site, right before the stick.
4. Dim the room lights. Use lower settings for newborns and NICU and higher settings for heavier or darker-skinned patients.
5. Hold Firefly firmly beneath the site and flex the wrist to bring the vein up. A vein that bows around a pressed finger has good volume.
6. Insert a 24 gauge catheter at a low angle.

Firefly is a visualization aid. It does not show vein depth, and it does not replace clinical judgment, ultrasound guidance or your vascular access protocol.³

Compatibility:

• Covers. Firefly Vein Light Disposable Covers, 100/Case fit the Original and Model 2.0 lights. They are non-sterile and do not replace wiping the light.⁴
• Sterile field. For NICU PICC work, Firefly notes the small wireless light fits inside a sterile glove.³
• IV start supplies. Pair with a MedSource IV Tourniquet, Latex Free, a ClearSafe Comfort 24G x 0.75 inch IV Catheter and an MedSource IV Start Kit with IV Guard.
• Positioning. An Olympic Papoose Board helps hold a toddler still for the stick.
• When IV access fails. For a critically ill child, many protocols move to intraosseous access with a device such as the SAM IO Driver.
• Hospital contracting. Firefly holds a Premier, Inc. group purchasing agreement for vein finder equipment, effective 1 Oct 2025.¹⁰

Specifications:

Related products:

• Firefly Vein Light Disposable Covers, 100/Case
• MedSource IV Tourniquet, Latex Free
• ClearSafe Comfort 24G x 0.75 inch IV Catheter
• MedSource IV Start Kit with IV Guard
• Olympic Papoose Board
• SAM IO Driver

Frequently Asked Questions:

Specifications from Firefly Vein Light LLC documentation. Pacific Biomedical is an Authorized Firefly Vein Light Distributor (USA). From Pacific Biomedical.