The optimal conditions for advance preparation of a solution containing cefuroxime 1.5% in dextrose 5% may be freezing of individual containers followed by a light cycle of microwave thawing.

5-Fluorouracil 8 mg/mL in NS may be prepared in advance, frozen and stored in PVC bags, and thawed before use. The solutions remained stable after freezing at -20°C for 79 days followed by storage at 5°C ± 3°C for up to 28 days.

Purpose: Evaluation of doxorubicin stability over time when stored into the DC Bead embolic agent, in various containers, which are used for the delivery of the doxorubicin-loaded beads to the patients for up to 14 days under refrigerated conditions. Methods: The doxorubicin was loaded through the ionic exchange mechanism into the calibrated polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel beads (DC Bead), with the loading process carried out either in the original DC Bead glass vials or within a polypropylene plastic syringe. The loaded samples were eluted at given time points and the extracted doxorubicin was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography for concentration and chromatographic area response purity. Results: The variance on the doxorubicin concentration of the samples stored in the syringes under refrigerated conditions was less than 10% over the 14 days period. The chromatographic purity of doxorubicin eluted from the DC Bead in their primary glass vial packaging was measured at 99.7%. The dissolution test showed that the elution rate and amount recovered from samples stored in vials were statistically similar between Day 0 and Day 14. The chromatographic purity of the doxorubicin loaded into DC Bead in presence of non-ionic contrast medium was >99.0% for 7 days under refrigerated conditions. Conclusions: Doxorubicin-loaded DC Bead® are shown to have adequate physicochemical stability over a period of 14 days when stored in syringes or vials under refrigerated conditions for up to 14 days. The admixtures of doxorubicin-loaded beads with contrast medium are stable for up to 7 days under refrigerated conditions.

Cefazolin and cefuroxime sodium are often used as antibiotic infusions for hospitalized patients. Because advance preparation of these intravenous solutions is efficient, the stability of both antibiotics stored at 4 degrees C in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags was studied. Five bags of solutions containing either 1 g of cefazolin sodium or 1.5 g of cefuroxime sodium per 100 ml of 5% dextrose were studied for 1 month by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), visual inspection and pH measurement. No colour change or precipitation was observed. The pH values of both drugs increased significantly over the period of study. Based on a shelf-life of 90% residual potency, the cefuroxime sodium concentration was stable for 13 days when stored at 4 degrees C, and the cefazolin sodium concentration was stable for at least 30 days at 4 degrees C. Within these limits, both antibiotics may be prepared in advance by a centralized intravenous admixture service.

Within the limits defined here, a mixture of sufentanil citrate and levobupivacaine HCl may be prepared in advance and kept frozen.