EVD Three-Way Connectors: What They Do on the Drainage Line
What a three-way connector does on an EVD line: directing flow, access and closed-system care, plus what nurses and buyers should confirm in the IFU.
A three-way connector is a small fitting with three ports and a handle that lets staff direct or close flow at one point on an external drainage line. Both DESU EVD sets, EVD-010 and EVD-020, include two of them, alongside a 60 cm reinforced line, a 30 cm measuring scale, a 150 ml drip chamber and an 800 ml drainage bag.
Key takeaways
- A three-way connector has three ports and a handle that selects which of them are connected.
- DESU EVD-010 and EVD-020 each include two three-way connectors on the drainage system.
- The correct position depends on the task, so orders, the protocol and the IFU decide it.
- A three-way connector selects flow; a Y-type shunt connector simply joins lines.
Where they sit and how they are operated are set out in the instructions for use (IFU). For the human-factors side, including handover drills, see our article on EVD clamp and stopcock handling.
What is a three-way connector?
It is a junction with three ports and a rotating handle or tap, known in many hospitals as a three-way stopcock or tap. Turning the handle changes which ports are connected and which are closed. On a drainage line, the three ports generally lead towards the patient, towards the collection side, and to an access point.
Designs differ. On some, the handle points to the closed port; on others it points along the open path. A nurse who has learned one convention can read another the wrong way round, which is why the marking on the actual device matters more than habit.
What does it do on an EVD line?
A three-way connector on an external drainage line can serve four purposes. Not every unit uses all of them, and the unit’s protocol decides which apply:
- Directing: letting CSF continue towards the collection side, or stopping it at that point.
- Access: providing a defined port where the protocol allows access to the line, for example for CSF sampling.
- Measurement: giving a defined connection point where the unit’s pressure monitoring method uses one.
- Isolation: closing off part of the system for a task described in the IFU.
The EVD-010 and EVD-020 drainage systems support CSF drainage and pressure monitoring, with the scale marked in mmHg and cmH₂O. The connectors are part of that system, not a separate accessory.
Why do the DESU sets have two?
Two connectors mean two separate points on the line where flow can be directed or access provided, and two more items to check at every handover.
Each connector’s role comes from the IFU, so the most useful training aid is the IFU’s own diagram of the assembled system. Mark it up with the unit’s names for each connector, so that everyone uses the same words. The same applies to the EVD-010 Series and the EVD-020 Series, since both carry the same number of connectors.
What position should the connector be in?
There is no single correct position. It depends on what is happening at that moment, on the medical order and on the IFU. Staff can answer one question at each connector:
| Situation | Question to answer at the connector |
|---|---|
| Routine drainage | Is the path open as ordered, and is the side port closed and capped? |
| Transport or repositioning | Has the line been closed as ordered, and who reopens it afterwards? |
| Access to the line | Is this the approved port, and is the unit’s aseptic protocol being followed? |
| Pressure reading | Which path is open for the reading, and has it been returned to drainage? |
| Handover | Has each connector been traced from patient to bag and stated aloud? |
The last row is the one that catches most of the others. A connector left in the wrong position after a task looks almost the same as one in the right position, unless someone traces the line deliberately.
How do connectors fit with a closed system?
EVD-020 is a closed system, with a hydrophobic filter and two three-way connectors. Every side port is a place where that system can be opened, so a connector is both a convenience and a responsibility:
- Keep unused ports closed and capped, as the IFU describes.
- Open the system only for an ordered task, following the unit’s aseptic protocol.
- Label the drainage line clearly, so that it is not mistaken for an infusion line.
- Give nothing through a port unless a physician has ordered it and the protocol covers it.
Is a three-way connector the same as a Y-type connector?
No, although the words can suggest it. The DESU Y-type catheter connector is called a three-way accessory because it has three branches, but it belongs to shunt surgery. It joins two shunts to one peritoneal catheter, or gives a shunt two outlets or two inlets. A three-way connector on an EVD line has a different job: it selects a path on an external line. Our article on catheter connectors in shunt surgery covers the Y-type and the other implant connectors.
What should a buyer ask about the connectors?
When you evaluate a set, these are good questions to put to any supplier, us included:
- Which connector standard do the ports follow? The EN ISO 80369 series covers small-bore connectors, with separate parts for different applications, including neuraxial use.
- How does the handle show the open and closed positions?
- Are the ports capped as supplied?
- Does the IFU show each connector’s position in the assembled system, in the local language?
- Can a sample set be assembled and handled by the nurses who will use it?
Talk to a DESU product specialist
For the IFU, component diagrams or a sample set of EVD-010 or EVD-020, write to sales@desu.tr, use the contact page or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do EVD-010 and EVD-020 have different three-way connectors?
Each system has two three-way connectors. The difference between the two series lies on the patient side: EVD-020 can be used with a ventricular or a lumbar catheter.
Can a three-way connector be ordered separately?
Three-way connectors come as part of the EVD systems, not as a separate product. Tell us if you need one on its own.
Which handle position means closed?
That depends on the design of the device, so do not rely on a habit learned from another brand. Check the marking on the connector and the IFU, and include it in training.
What should happen if a connector is damaged or leaking?
Treat it as a problem with a closed system. Follow the IFU and the unit’s protocol, inform the responsible physician, keep the lot details and report the issue to the supplier.
Related standards
- EN ISO 80369 series: Small-bore connectors for liquids and gases in healthcare applications
- ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems