Anaestheticdrugs are often available in glass ampouleswhichneed to be ‘snapped open’ along the coloured bandsor dot around the neck. Different manoeuvres can beemployedfor opening these ampoules like snapping withthumb and index finger(with or without using gauze pieces),scratching the neck of thevial with file or base of anothervial and snapping open, 1 using scissors 2 or knife. If doneproperly,the neck of the ampoules snap open cleanlywithout producing spikes or glass shards. However, quiteoften serious cuts can occur on the fingers, ensuing lacer-ationsnecessitating suturing, infection susceptibility, lossof work days, rehabilitation, and residual pain. 3 Ampouleopeningis classified as a high risk event 4 with brokenampoules causing 54% of the reported incidents in anaes-thesiapersonnel. 5 Ampoule cuts are known to occur in6%anaesthetic sessions. 6 Even though specialized ampouleopeningdevices exist, they may not be always available,which can prove dangerous during emergencies. We describea simple, inexpensive and safe method of opening ampoules,usingthe barrel of a syringe which is being routinely prac-ticed in our institution thereby preventing possible sharpinjuries.
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