2017 Volume 43 Issue 12 Pages 713-718
Equashield® is a closed-system drug-transfer device (CSTD); it comprises a closed plunger and a barrel and is effective for decreasing the exposure of a syringe plunger to anti-cancer drugs. The protection of the syringe plunger has been surmised to decrease the exposure of preparation gloves and the surrounding environment to drugs. However, the effectiveness of Equashield® in decreasing the exposure of preparation gloves to anti-cancer drugs has not been validated. We conducted a study to examine the exposure of preparation gloves and the surrounding environment to a cyclophosphamide (CPA) preparation in comparison with different types of CSTDs. Using ChemoCLAVE®, which does not comprise a closed syringe plunger, CPA was detected in two of six preparation gloves (0.60 ng and 31.1 ng), nursing gloves (1.84 ng), and a drug container (759 ng). Using Equashield®, CPA was not detected in any preparation glove, nursing glove, or drug container. Therefore, Equashield® may be effective for decreasing the risk of exposure of preparation gloves and the surrounding environment to CPA.
