A comparison of epinephrine concentrations in local anesthetic solutions using a "wash" versus measured technique.
BACKGROUND
Anesthesiologists often prepare epinephrine-containing local anesthetic solutions. We compared epinephrine concentrations of solutions prepared using the "wash" technique with solutions prepared using the measured technique (using an insulin syringe), and compared epinephrine concentrations among anesthesiologists.


METHODS
Five anesthesiologists prepared syringes for spinal and epidural anesthesia using both techniques. Epinephrine concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Measured technique concentrations were higher than those of the wash technique for the spinal but not epidural solutions.


CONCLUSIONS
Concentrations of all measured spinal solutions were higher than the target concentrations, as were concentrations of three of five measured epidural solutions. There were significant differences among anesthesiologists.
Wojciechowski
Kyle G
KG
Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Avram
Michael J
MJ
Raikoff
Kiril
K
McCarthy
Robert J
RJ
Wong
Cynthia A
CA
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013594:Syringes
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D004837:Epinephrine