This study was designed to detect the frequency of bacterial occurrence within multidose vials using the polymerase chain reaction technique. Pathogenic organisms introduced into a patient's blood stream during the course of anesthesia from contaminated multidose vials may lead to the development of nosocomial infections. Previous studies have been conducted using the conventional culture method to detect bacterial contamination within multidose vials. The goal of this research project was to develop a new methodology using the PCR technique.

Clinical samples were obtained and tested from eight operating rooms of a community hospital. The medications tested in this study were Glycopyrrolate and Neostigmine, two out of the four most commonly used anesthesia medications. There was no bacterial contamination found within tested multidose vial samples. Based on this finding and on a sample size of 24 vials tested we can conclude that the rate of occurrence of bacterial contamination within the type of multidose vials tested was 12.5% or less at the 95% confidence level. It has been concluded from the results of this study that multidose vials can be used safely if aseptic technique is practiced during medication extraction.

(Key words: anesthesia, polymerase chain reaction, multidose vials)