It is important to note the number of injuries caused by blood-filled vs. non-blood-filled devices. This graph shows that the number of injuries caused by syringes is quite high. However, most of those injuries did not involve needles which were filled with blood because most of these injuries occurred during administration of some type of intramuscular or subcutaneous injection.

While these injuries still carry a risk for transmission of bloodborne pathogens, the risk is not as high as with a blood-filled needle. Most of the injuries caused by blood gas syringes, IV catheter stylets, butterfly needles, and phlebotomy needles were high risk because the needles were filled with blood.