title: A comparison of epinephrine concentrations in local anesthetic solutions using a "wash" versus measured technique.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wojciechowski
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Avram
authors.forename: Kiril
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raikoff
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D004837:Epinephrine