least part of the equation. Of course, there are drawbacks to prefilled
syringes; namely, pricing. A prefilled syringe of ephedrine, say, could
run you $10 and those costs add up. But it's often worth the cost to
remove the extra step of drawing up a drug and thus, running the risk
of contamination. Moreover, prefilled syringes hold anesthetists
accountable so there is no risk of "double dipping" into a vial.
• Micron syringe filters. I rarely see anesthesia providers using
these filters, but they can catch a whole host of potentially harmful
microorganisms. One downside to filters: you can't inject propofol
through them because it's too viscous of a drug. But that's only one of
many drugs you use in your practice so it's worth considering filters
for all other injections. A 25 mm, 0.2 micron syringe filter costs
around $5 online, half the price of some prefilled syringes. A pack of
50, 32 mm, 0.2 micron filters can cost around $100 — even cheaper.
Chuck Biddle, CRNA, PhD
Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
Richmond, Va.
cjbiddle@vcu.edu
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