ANESTHETIC DRUGS AND BACTERIAL-CONTAMINATION

We investigated the bacterial contamination of commonly used intraveno us anaesthetic agents. Ten trainee anaesthetists drew up four syringes each of propofol, midazolam, thiopentone, 0.9% saline and a culture m edium control using their normal practice. A set of syringes was cultu red at the time of drawing up and at 2, 4 and 8 h afterwards. No anaes thetist washed his or her hands before drawing up the drugs. Six anaes thetists capped the syringes using sheathed needles. Eight syringes we re contaminated with bacteria. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were i solated from six syringes (four sheathed and two unsheathed) and an Ac inetobacter sp. from two syringes (one sheathed and one unsheathed). N o bacteria were cultured from the midazolam syringes. However, two syr inges from each of the other solutions were contaminated. This implies that one syringe was contaminated when it was drawn up, at 2 h a furt her two had detectable contamination, two more were contaminated at 4 h and three more at 8 h. We cannot recommend drawing up drugs at the s tart of a list for use later in the day. They should be used immediate ly after drawing up. Basic hand washing before drawing up drugs may re duce contamination.