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Evaluation of Closed-system Transfer Devices in Reducing Potential Risk for Surface Contamination Following Simulated
Scott Soefje1, Keith Rickabaugh2, Rahul Rajkumar3
1Pharmacy Cancer Care, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Soefje.Scott@mayo.edu.
Needle-free closed-system transfer devices effectively prevent surface contamination from hazardous drugs like cyclophosphamide during preparation. Needle-based systems showed some contamination, highlighting the benefits of needle-free options for safer drug handling.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Hazardous drug handling poses significant occupational exposure risks.
- Closed-system transfer devices (CSTDs) are designed to mitigate these risks.
- Evaluating the efficacy of different CSTDs in preventing surface contamination is crucial for healthcare safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of a needle-free CSTD versus a needle-based CSTD in minimizing surface contamination.
- To assess contamination levels during simulated compounding, preparation, and administration of cyclophosphamide.
- To provide data supporting the selection of safer CSTDs for hazardous drug handling.
Main Methods:
- A controlled laboratory study simulating hazardous drug preparation.
- Three trials were conducted for both needle-free and needle-based CSTDs.
- Surface wipe samples analyzed for cyclophosphamide using high-performance liquid chromatography with dual-mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- The needle-free CSTD demonstrated no detectable cyclophosphamide contamination on any tested surfaces or gloves.
- The needle-based CSTD showed minimal but detectable cyclophosphamide contamination on the workbench after the second and third trials.
- No cyclophosphamide was detected on gloves when using the needle-based CSTD.
Conclusions:
- Needle-free CSTDs are highly effective in preventing hazardous drug escape during preparation.
- Needle-free CSTDs offer superior protection against surface contamination compared to needle-based systems.
- Needle-free CSTDs should be strongly considered for routine handling of hazardous drugs to enhance safety.
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