Comparative parallel assessment of a transfer device in reducing 5-fluorouracil environmental contamination inside...

The environmental contamination of the antineoplastic drugs circuit, due to the centralization of preparation and the increased number of the patients treated, brought about a new occupational hazard: the chronic exposure to low doses of antineoplastic drugs. The rationalization of the hospital budgets imposes a meticulous assessment of the devices available for the preparation, in order to justify their interest, even their cost. A prospective comparative study with parallel arms was led inside the Pharmacy of the Institut de Cancerologie de la Loire in order to evaluate the Spike Swan®, a transfer device. The aim was to assess the Spike Swan® effectiveness. The antineoplastic drugs environmental contamination within the isolators is considered as a potential starting point for a larger dissemination of cytotoxic products. Therefore, the primary endpoint was the surface contamination level with 5-fluorouracil and the comparator was the standard preparation technique using needles and aeration needles. This study did not show significant effectiveness for the Spike Swan® in reducing surface contamination. Nevertheless, this device could be used to prepare large volumes and to secure occasional handlers, because it is easy to handle.