抄録
We studied the cause of cracking of clinically used polyurethane (PU) catheters during the constant infusion of etoposide (VP-16) injection (Lastet® inj.) without dilution. After the vehicles used for VP-16 injection, ethanol or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), were infused into the PU catheters at a constant infusion rate (30ml/h) for 24h, obvious degradation of the internal wall of the catheter was observed under an electron microscope. When the PU catheter was immersed in ethanol for 24h, condensed polymers of 1,4-butanediol (BD), contained in PU catheters as an elasticizer, were detected in the ethanol elute using the ESI/MS method. Moreover, time-dependent elution of BD from PU catheters with the infusion of ethanol into the catheter for 24h at 30ml/h was observed using the GC/MS method. The cumulative amount of BD eluted from the PU catheter with ethanol vehicle for 24h was 130μg. In conclusion, degradation and subsequent cracking of PU catheters during the infusion of VP-16 injection were caused by ethanol and PEG400 contained in the injection solution. Furthermore, to prevent the elution of BD from PU catheters, we suggest that PU catheters should not be used for the administration of VP-16 injection without dilution in consideration of safety and efficacy.
