title: Multi-use of single use unims: Does economic burden outweigh contamination risk?
abstract: Aim: To assess if residual drops of unims can be used after single use to cut down economic load. Setting: Laboratory setting. Materials and Methods: This study was done to determine the possibility of multi-use of such unims. Ten unims of Acuvail (ketorolac tromethamine 0.45%) were opened simultaneously to culture a single drop from each unim daily for 7 days and growth was studied at 24 h (group 1); a similar study was done taking extra aseptic precautions (group 2), and with another set of 10 unims, with one drop twice a day for 3 days (group 3). Results: 20% unims showed growth on the 1st day and 60% on the 6th day. The growth consisted of Staphylococcus aureus. No growth was found in the second part of the study. Two drops per day arm showed incremental growth from the 3 rd dose (2 nd day). Conclusion: Even though unims contain more than one drop, patients should be strictly instructed for single use of such vials because there is potential risk of transmitting pathogens and a serious threat to post-cataract surgery patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU, Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Abadan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Amitava
authors.forename: Mehar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizvi
authors.forename: Sadat Ao
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bani