A novel use of a pen cap as a glass ampoule opener

PROBLEMGlass ampoules contain several injectable medications, including local anesthetic agents, normal saline, vitamin D3, and placental extracts, which are used in medicine, surgery, dermatology, and dentistry for intramuscular, intralesional, and mesotherapy purposes.However, shattering the ampoule with your finger is a dangerous activity, and using a metallic opener may result in the mixing of mini to micro glass spicules with the drug.A few atraumatic ampoule breakers and syringe tubes are not widely accessible in the clinic.[1,2] We utilized a pen cap to solve the problem of not having an ampoule opener. SOLUTIONe cap of a plastic pen is used after making aseptic with povidone-iodine or chemically sterilizing with glutaraldehyde solution, which is easily accessible in the clinic.e plastic, non-metallic pen cap is shock-absorbing.e ampoule head is inserted into the cap until it reaches the neck, the weakest section of the ampoule [Figure 1a].e ampoule's neck is then manually broken without the issue of glass spicules because the loose plastic pen cap is shock absorbent, and it is able to apply pressure over a more constricted part of the ampoule neck [Figure 1b and Video 1].As a result, the pen cap may be reused to open ampoules.www.cosmoderma.