Nickel contact dermatitis in a blood bank

Twenty blood donors developed a dermatitis at the site of venesection within a few hours of giving blood. A local anaesthetic administered with a Dermo-Jet had been used before extracting blood. In only 2 cases was sensitivity to the local anaesthetic found. In the others the reaction was caused by nickel released from the Dermo-Jet. The quantity of nickel released is greater from the anaesthetic solution than from deionised water. It increases with the time that the anaesthetic remains in the Dermo-Jet. The release of nickel is greater from a used Dermo-Jet than from a new one. Histology revealed a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate at the level of the deep dermis.