An ampoule is a sealed glass container designed for storing liquid and powdered medicines. Since its main feature is tightness, it should be assumed that it is sealed on all sides and it is sometimes very difficult to get to its contents.

So, let's consider methods that answer the question: “How to open an ampoule without causing harm to yourself and others?” In addition, we will figure out what they are and what they are needed for.

How to open an ampoule with liquid medicine

As a rule, all glass containers for medicines are divided into 2 types: completely glass and those with a metal lid. In order to open the first variety, you must perform the following operations sequentially:

1. Read the name of the medicine, special attention should be paid to its expiration date.
2. The container must be shaken so that the medicine all falls down and does not spill when depressurized.
3. If the ampoule kit includes an item for filing (as a rule, this is an emery stick), you need to work it around the circumference in the narrowest part of the container, where the neck transitions to the ampoule itself.
4. Take a piece of cotton wool or a paper napkin and break the neck away from you in order to avoid possible damage when the glass crumbles.
5. Open the ampoule.

In the event that the necessary nail file is not included with it, it can be replaced with such improvised means as or

How to open an ampoule with dry powder

If, having purchased a box of the drug, you find that the medicine is a dry powder and the ampoule cap is iron, then in order to open it, you must do the following:

What other types of ampoules are there?

IN lately drug manufacturers have come up with a safe way to open ampoules without the help of foreign objects. In this case, there is no glass on the neck at the transition point to the bubble itself and the top can simply be broken off. But there are also unique ampoules that are sealed with aluminum, and sometimes opening them yourself is not so easy. For example, this is how Mexidol is packaged in ampoules. This drug is used to improve blood supply to the brain, reduce total cholesterol levels in blood vessels, and is also used as first aid for drug or alcohol intoxication, epilepsy and seizures.

As a rule, such ampoules are sold only to medical institutions, and after use their quantity is taken into account. The same thing happens with all sealed packages containing narcotic substances.

Thus, the article found the answer to the question: “How to open an ampoule?” You should not use any other methods if they threaten the health of others and carry the possibility of changing the composition of the drug.

Sterile drugs for injection are usually available in ampoules - hermetically sealed glass containers. In order to draw the medicine into the syringe, you need to open the ampoule by breaking its upper tip. Usually, for these purposes, a special nail file is included with the ampoules, but what to do if it is not there?

If you received a set of ampoules without a nail file, the first thing you need to do is figure out what type of ampoules you got. There are ampoules that do not require a nail file to open. The neck of such an ampoule should contain mark in the form of a dot or rim, indicating the break line. The glass from which the ampoule is made is thinner in this place, so the tip should break off without difficulty.

To open such an ampoule, the first thing you need to do is disinfect it at the break point. First, wipe it with a cotton wool soaked in medical alcohol, and then with dry sterile cotton wool so that the ampoule is not slippery. After this, wrap the top of the ampoule with sterile cotton wool and break off with light pressure away from you.

Labeled ampoules must be opened light movement, so there is no need to use any additional tools (for example, pliers). When opening an ampoule using “force” methods, there is a high risk of crushing the glass, as a result the sterility of the drug will be compromised, and you may be injured by fragments.

If there is no mark on the ampoule, to open it you need special nail file(ampoule knife or ampoule scarifier). Using this file, a notch is made on the ampoule, along which its top is broken off.

In the event that nail file is missing(let’s say you bought one or two ampoules of medicine at the pharmacy instead of a whole package, and they didn’t give you a nail file), you can try to file the ampoule using available tools.

Best suited for these purposes metal nail file. Disinfect the file with alcohol, press it to the neck of the ampoule at an angle of 45 degrees and carefully file the ampoule in a circle. Choose the location of the cut so that it is convenient to break off the tip, but it should not be too low.

After this, you need to repeat the same steps as when opening the ampoule with a mark: disinfect and carefully break off the tip along the cut line in the direction away from you, wrapping it with a cotton swab or napkin.

You can also use a kitchen knife to open the ampoule, although it is less suitable for this purpose than a manicure file. Using a sharp knife (pre-disinfected, of course), make several cuts in different directions at the intended location of the break, then proceed according to the standard procedure.

Using “artisanal” methods, it is better instead of cotton wool wrap the ampoule with a cloth or thin towel: this will help to better protect yourself from fragments if the ampoule does burst. As with labeled ampoules, pliers, tongs, and other household tools should not be used to open the ampoule.

Having broken off the tip of the ampoule, you will certainly make sure no glass shards get inside. Place the syringe needle into the opened ampoule and draw up the medicine by pulling the plunger. Make sure that the cut of the needle is always completely immersed in the solution, otherwise air bubbles will get into the syringe along with the medicine, which can cause an infiltrate () to appear at the injection site. Before making an injection, the needle must be replaced, as it could become dull on the walls of the ampoule.

The most important thing when opening an ampoule with the drug (especially with improvised means) is take your time and be careful, then you will certainly succeed.

Pharmaceutical companies produce some medicines and cosmetics in glass ampoules. But if it is necessary to extract the drug from the ampoule, for most of us it becomes a huge problem, prepared by our well-wishers pharmacists.

Probably everyone has encountered such a situation. Of course, this problem can be avoided if you know exactly how to open the ampoule.

The procedure for opening an ampoule with a medicinal product

1. To begin with, as required by generally accepted rules for the use of any medicines, you need to read the name of the drug, determine the volume, and also make sure that the expiration date corresponds to the date of direct use of the medicine.
2. As a rule, along with the medicine and its instructions, there is a special nail file for opening ampoules and bottles. Before using the nail file, this ampoule must be shaken well so that all the medicine is at the bottom of the bottle.
3. Then use a nail file to “walk” around the circumference of the neck of the ampoule, gradually filing it away.
4. Using a cotton swab that has been previously moistened with alcohol, thoroughly wipe the ampoule and, pressing, break off the neck away from you. To protect yourself from cuts, it is recommended to use a napkin or cotton wool, first wrapping the neck of the ampoule before breaking off the top of the ampoule.
5. Lower the syringe with the needle into the opened ampoule, pull the piston, and draw the required volume of solution.

It is necessary to take into account the nuance that when taking the medicine, the tip of the needle may curl up as a result of its contact with the walls of the vessel (and/or its bottom). For this reason, the needle may become dull. Thus, it is considered correct to use one needle to collect the drug, and the second one is taken directly for the injection itself.

Also, observing asepsis, it is recommended to use two needles. When manipulating the needle, its sterility is violated, which can cause unwanted complications after the injection. Additional individual needles can always be purchased at the pharmacy.

How to open an ampoule without a nail file?

First way

Nowadays there are often ampoules and bottles that can be opened without a special nail file. The manufacturer has provided a structure that allows you to do without it. But, as a rule, such information is not indicated on the packaging, and the nail file is not provided in the packaging, so it will be necessary to check it directly in practice.

Using a napkin or rag, press on the ampoule and break off the neck. If the attempt is unsuccessful, then the ampoule will still have to be sawed off.

Second way

Instead of a special nail file, you can use:

• Manicure file. The result obtained will be the same as from a special nail file. You need to hold the tool at an angle of 45 degrees to the neck and file. Then follow the same steps - wrap the ampoule with a napkin and, pressing on the cut site, break off the top of the ampoule.
• A kitchen knife can also be used at home for this purpose. However, the effectiveness may be less than with a nail file. In order to open the ampoule, you need to make cuts in different directions and break off the neck, protecting yourself from cuts.

Dry powder ampoule

In order to use a medicine in powder form, which is intended for injection, you must first dissolve it. As a solvent, you can use various substances provided - special water, novocaine, lidocaine, etc.

Options for acceptable solvents must be indicated in the instructions for the drug itself, or the doctor must indicate it himself, depending on the specific case of use of the drug.

To begin, you need to draw the required amount of the specified solvent into the syringe, remove the protective metal cap from the bottle and wipe the rubber cap underneath with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. After this, inject the contents of the syringe into the ampoule and shake the bottle thoroughly.

Turning it upside down, again draw the resulting ready-made injection into the syringe. Before administering the solution to the patient, the needle must be replaced with a new one, since the needle, for obvious reasons, could become blunt.

How to reduce air bubbles getting into the syringe

• When taking medicine, the cut of the needle should always be completely immersed in the solution, otherwise air will get into the syringe along with the medicine, which will cause those very bubbles that are sometimes so difficult to get rid of. This is the main reason why air gets into the syringe. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the cut of the needle and immerse it completely in the medicine.
• When the liquid begins to run out in the ampoule, it will need to be placed horizontally, and the cut of the needle should be pressed as much as possible against the wall of the bottle. After such actions, the needle becomes dull and in order to reduce pain in the patient, it is advisable to change it to a new one. Separately packaged needles are sold at pharmacies.
• In a situation where bubbles do get into the syringe, they are removed by beating it. If air still remains in the syringe and enters the body as a result of intramuscular injection, then this is not so scary, but it is advisable to avoid such cases. After the injection, air may end up in the muscle or intercellular space, or in a vessel. For this reason, the capillary vessel may die, since it will be blocked by the very air that got into it.

If the volume of air was greater, then in this case an “air infiltrate” will appear in the muscle, which is a compaction, a lump. The symptoms and consequences are the same as with normal infiltration. This is also not dangerous, but quite an unpleasant phenomenon. Still, it is better to avoid getting air into the syringe with the medicine and carry out injections according to the instructions included with the medicine.

By adhering to these seemingly simple rules, you can carry out the entire injection procedure as painlessly and safely as possible - from opening the ampoule to directly administering it to the patient.

Attack of headache (tooth, stomach) pain. The cure for it has long been invented - an ampoule with an analgesic, a syringe - and in 10 minutes life will be filled with meaning again. But when we try to extract the drug, we may be in for an unpleasant surprise prepared by our own pharmaceutical companies - the ampoule may not be so easy to open. A few minutes of desperate struggle, curses addressed to the one who came up with all this, the crack of breaking glass, treating cut limbs with an antiseptic - and the road to a painless existence is clear. A situation familiar to almost everyone. These unpleasant moments can be avoided if you know how to open the ampoule.

The modern pharmaceutical industry offers several types of glass packaging for injectable drugs, which are opened in different ways.

History of the ampoule
And it all started in the 19th century. Historians have differing opinions regarding the inventor of the ampoule. Some believe that the ancestor of the container was the Russian pharmacist A.V. Pel. Western experts give the palm to the Frenchman Stanislav Limousin. But the fact is that in the 80s of the last century, a glass vessel with a narrow elongated neck and a wide base was invented, intended for storing a sterile drug. The name of the container comes from the Greek word “amphora” - vessel. Until now, domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers produce injectable forms in ampoules that painfully resemble a 130-year-old “old lady.”

Glass ampoule without notch
To successfully open a glass ampoule, you need to be armed with knowledge, apply strength and manual dexterity. A conscientious manufacturer must complete the packaging with the drug with a scarifier or a knife for ampoules. In this case, the buyer is lucky, and the algorithm of actions is standard:

• shake the ampoule;
  
• using a scarifier, file the neck of the ampoule, choosing the optimal distance from the top;
  
• wipe the cut area with alcohol;
  
• wrap the neck with cotton wool or a napkin and, in the “away from you” position, break off the sawn tip of the ampoule.
  

If, when trying to find a knife for ampoules, only disappointment awaits, then the situation becomes more complicated. To resolve it, you can, firstly, ask the pharmacist to find the scarifier in another package.

Secondly, use a nail file as an abrasive to open the ampoule, after wiping it with alcohol.

Well, for those who are not looking for easy ways, the third, most cruel option is to wrap the container with the treasured medicine in cotton wool and break off its top, leaving it to chance. If, as a result of the efforts expended, the glass fragments did not fall inside the container and scatter throughout the room, the first barrier has been overcome. All that remains is to open the ampoule without spilling the medicine and the blood of the future patient. If you succeeded, you can consider yourself a virtuoso.

Glass ampoule with notch
According to European standards, ampoules must have a colored ring or break point. The glass at the break point is much thinner, and opening an ampoule with a point is not difficult. Having treated the ampoule with an antiseptic and armed with a napkin, you need to press on the notch and carefully break off the neck of the ampoule - that’s the whole algorithm.

Bottle of dry powder
Some drugs are not stable in dissolved form and are available in powder form. If you are the proud owner of a bottle of dry powder, the task of opening it and extracting the medicine can turn into a puzzle.

First, you need a solvent. Most often this is water for injection, an anesthetic solution or an isotonic solution. Sometimes manufacturers produce it complete with the main drug. Otherwise, the solvent is purchased separately.

Secondly, you need a syringe.

Well, the process itself:

• You need to fill the syringe with the required volume of solvent (for clarification, read the instructions for the drug);
  
• remove the cap from the bottle (it can be metal, cut off with scissors or a knife, or plastic);
  
• under the top cover you will find the bottom, rubber one, which you should not forget to wipe with alcohol;
  
• pierce the rubber cap with a syringe needle and inject the solvent into the bottle;
• Shake the bottle thoroughly to make sure that all the drug has dissolved;
  
• draw the solution with the same syringe;
  
• change the needle on the syringe to a new, sterile one.
  

And stay healthy!

The disease sometimes creeps up unexpectedly. The oral method of taking the medicine is less effective compared to intravenous or intramuscular injections. After all, the rate of active substances in the blood is high. It is not always possible to go to the hospital to get an injection. In this case, it is important to know how to carry out the manipulation yourself. And the first stage is important - to open the ampoule correctly.

Follow a simple algorithm when opening an ampoule:

1. Read the instructions, pay attention to the expiration date of the medicine.
2. Inspect the ampoule for integrity. Shake her because... it is important that the medicine sinks to the bottom.
3. Next, soak a cotton swab in alcohol and open the ampoule. Wrap the container with the medicine in a napkin to prevent cuts. Using gentle pressure, break off the narrow end of the ampoule.
4. Draw up the solution with a needle and syringe. It is advisable to change the injection needle.

It is easiest to open an ampoule with a notch. This place looks like a ring of a different color or shade. Treat the container with alcohol or any other antiseptic. Often such injections are completed with a nail file. Then use it to saw through the fracture site. Apply a napkin, press on the notch and break the narrowed part of the ampoule.

The situation is a little more complicated with ampoules without a notch. When buying medicine, it is impossible to predict whether you will get a bottle with a notch or without. Moreover, they are not marked in any way. In this case:

• Take a nail file. And file it where the wide part transitions into the narrow part.
• Or use a knife to score the narrow end.
• If you don't have these tools at hand, try breaking the top part by pressing with your thumb. Be careful, this method is risky as the ampoule breaks easily.

Opening an ampoule with dry powder inside has its own characteristics. Purchase a diluent along with this medicine. However, it is worth consulting a specialist about his choice. This is how lidocaine, novocaine, etc. are prescribed. Often drugs in the annotation contain information about compatibility with solvents.

Open the ampoule like this:

1. Take a needle with a syringe, treat it with an antiseptic and draw up the solvent with it.
2. First, open the cap of the dry powder ampoule. Wipe with antiseptic rubber cap jars. Pierce it with a needle and inject the solvent inside the ampoule.
3. Shake the container well to obtain a homogenized solution.
4. Change the needle and dial it up for subcutaneous injection.

When injecting yourself or your loved ones, follow simple rules to secure manipulation:

• Insert the needle into the ampoule so that its cut is completely immersed in the solution.
• Do not touch the bottom of the ampoule with the tip of the needle if you do not intend to change it. Because it dulls it, which causes pain when injected under the skin.
• It is still advisable to change the needle after taking the medicine into the syringe. Opt for thinner needles for direct insertion under the skin.
• If there are air bubbles in the syringe, they should be removed to avoid lumps and bruises. Tap the syringe with your fingernail and press lightly on the plunger to release air.

Learning to give injections yourself is convenient. After all, you may need help at any moment. The skill of opening ampoules is quickly acquired.

Sometimes it is necessary to give an injection at home. This may be an injection of vitamins, sedatives, or as prescribed by a doctor. It is not always possible to go to a clinic, where they know exactly how to open the ampoule and administer the drug. But how can you protect yourself from mistakes and not cause harm when injecting yourself at home?

How to open an ampoule correctly?

First of all, you need to open the ampoule correctly. There are two types of ampoules according to the opening method:

• traditional ones, which require a notch on the neck;
• with a point where the glass cone is broken.

First you need to determine the type of ampoule. This is usually not written on the packaging. But a quick glance at the glass flask is enough to understand whether it is traditional or not.

The dot can be black, red or another color. If it is not on the neck, then to open it you need a special nail file, which is hidden under the top lid of the package. This file has the shape of a circle with a cut out segment, the edges of which are covered with abrasive material.

The sequence of opening the ampoule includes the following steps:

1) sawing is done with abrasive edges along one side of the neck;

2) without unnecessary effort, apply a nail file 3-4 times along the selected side of the ampoule;

3) then you need to moisten a cotton pad or ball in an antiseptic;

4) one hand holds the base of the cone with the medicine, and the thumb and index fingers the other hand grasps the protrusion of the ampoule;

5) to avoid injuring your fingers, cotton wool is used;

6) the break is made by a sharp movement of the hand in the direction opposite to where there is a cut.

This is the correct sequence for opening a medical ampoule. However, the nail file may get lost. Then a nail file from a cosmetic set or a piece of sandpaper will serve as a replacement. Be sure to wipe the cut area with alcohol or another antiseptic to prevent microorganisms from entering the preparation.

Opening the ampoule with a dot

Some manufacturers produce more advanced solutions - with a marker. In this case, the opening process is simplified and includes the following steps:

• the cone marker is directed towards itself;
• The ampoule opens with a slight movement of the hand away from you.

In this case, there is no need to use cotton wool, since the risk of injury is minimal.

Then the drug is drawn into a syringe, air is released and an injection is made into the muscle. The injection site is disinfected before this. The solution is injected smoothly, after which the needle is removed and a cotton ball is applied in its place.

For injections, medications are used in special ampoules that reliably protect active substance from external influence. If its integrity is damaged, we recommend not using the drug and taking an undamaged container.

In order to have access to the medicine, you must break the integrity of the ampoule. This must be done immediately before the injection, since if you do it earlier, the medication will lose its properties. After opening, the liquid is taken out with a syringe and an injection is made.

How to properly open an ampoule with a break point

The procedure must be carried out as carefully as possible, otherwise you risk injury or accidentally spilling the medicine. Each time you open the ampoule better, but before you begin the procedure, use our tips.

Before the procedure, we recommend protecting your hands by wearing thin rubber gloves. Thanks to them, you can protect your palms and fingers from wounds and scratches. Surely you have seen more than once how doctors open an ampoule even without gloves, right? It is not surprising, because they have many years of experience.

You also need to prepare the place - it is better to do this while sitting, lay a towel or cloth on the table surface.

First of all, carefully examine the packaging in which the ampoules are located. Very often the package already contains a convenient compact nail file for opening a glass container. How to open the ampoule in this case? It's simple - take a nail file and run it several times in the narrowest place. Once the glass is thin enough, you need to break the top section. That's all, the ampoule is open and the medicine is ready for use.

How to open an ampoule with a dot? Many people mistakenly think that it needs to be sawed exactly in the place where the point is located, but this is not so. It only indicates that you can break the ampoule without using any tools.

Take a closer look at the neck of the ampoule - in the thinnest place you will see a rim, this is the place of the break.

To prevent cuts, you need to cover the top of the ampoule with a napkin or cloth. Hold the container with one hand, and with the other, grab the top and concentrate pressure on it, make a quick movement and break it off.

If there is no rim or break point on the ampoule, you will have to deal with it on your own. To remove the head, you need to take a knife or a thin metal nail file. Make several cuts in the same place. Then grab the top and quickly break it off.

To prevent debris from hitting you, try to keep the container as far away from you as possible. You also need to remove the top in the same direction - make the break not towards you, but away from you.

That's it, the medicine is ready for use! All that remains is to draw it into a syringe and inject it.

How to open an ampoule: video

In this video you will find several useful tips about how to open different types ampoule

Women's online magazine website

First of all, you need to open the ampoule correctly. There are two types of ampoules according to the opening method:

• traditional ones, which require a notch on the neck;
• with a point where the glass cone is broken.

First you need to determine the type of ampoule. This is usually not written on the packaging. But a quick glance at the glass flask is enough to understand whether it is traditional or not.

The dot can be black, red or another color. If it is not on the neck, then to open it you need a special nail file, which is hidden under the top lid of the package. This file has the shape of a circle with a cut out segment, the edges of which are covered with abrasive material.

The sequence of opening the ampoule includes the following steps:

1) sawing is done with abrasive edges along one side of the neck;

2) without unnecessary effort, apply a nail file 3-4 times along the selected side of the ampoule;

3) then you need to moisten a cotton pad or ball in an antiseptic;

4) with one hand the base of the cone with the medicine is held, and the thumb and index fingers of the second hand grasp the protrusion of the ampoule;

5) to avoid injuring your fingers, cotton wool is used;

6) the break is made by a sharp movement of the hand in the direction opposite to where there is a cut.

This is the correct sequence for opening a medical ampoule. However, the nail file may get lost. Then a nail file from a cosmetic set or a piece of sandpaper will serve as a replacement. Be sure to wipe the cut area with alcohol or another antiseptic to prevent microorganisms from entering the preparation.

Some manufacturers produce more advanced solutions - with a marker. In this case, the opening process is simplified and includes the following steps:

• the cone marker is directed towards itself;
• The ampoule opens with a slight movement of the hand away from you.

In this case, there is no need to use cotton wool, since the risk of injury is minimal.

Then the drug is drawn into a syringe, air is released and an injection is made into the muscle. The injection site is disinfected before this. The solution is injected smoothly, after which the needle is removed and a cotton ball is applied in its place.

Sterile drugs for injection are usually available in ampoules - hermetically sealed glass containers. In order to draw the medicine into the syringe, you need to open the ampoule by breaking its upper tip. Usually, for these purposes, a special nail file is included with the ampoules, but what to do if it is not there?

How to open an ampoule without a nail file? If you received a set of ampoules without a nail file, the first thing you need to do is figure out what type of ampoules you got. There are ampoules that do not require a nail file to open. On the neck of such an ampoule there should be a mark in the form of a dot or a rim, indicating the break line. The glass from which the ampoule is made is thinner in this place, so the tip should break off without difficulty.

To open such an ampoule, the first thing you need to do is disinfect it at the break point. First, wipe it with a cotton wool soaked in medical alcohol, and then with dry sterile cotton wool so that the ampoule is not slippery. After this, wrap the top of the ampoule with sterile cotton wool and, with light pressure, break it off away from you.

Ampoules with a mark should be opened with a slight movement, so there is no need to use any additional tools (for example, pliers). When opening an ampoule using “force” methods, there is a high risk of crushing the glass, as a result the sterility of the drug will be compromised, and you may be injured by fragments.

If there is no mark on the ampoule, a special file (ampoule knife or ampoule scarifier) ​​is needed to open it. Using this file, a notch is made on the ampoule, along which its top is broken off.

If there is no file (say, you bought one or two ampoules of medicine at the pharmacy instead of a whole package, and they didn’t give you a file), you can try to file the ampoule using available tools.

A metal nail file is best suited for these purposes. Disinfect the file with alcohol, press it to the neck of the ampoule at an angle of 45 degrees and carefully file the ampoule in a circle. Choose the location of the cut so that it is convenient to break off the tip, but it should not be too low.

After this, you need to repeat the same steps as when opening the ampoule with a mark: disinfect and carefully break off the tip along the cut line in the direction away from you, wrapping it with a cotton swab or napkin.

You can also use a kitchen knife to open the ampoule, although it is less suitable for this purpose than a manicure file. Using a sharp knife (pre-disinfected, of course), make several cuts in different directions at the intended location of the break, then proceed according to the standard pattern.

Using “artisanal” methods, it is better to wrap the ampoule with a cloth napkin or a thin towel instead of cotton wool: this will help to better protect yourself from fragments if the ampoule does burst. As with labeled ampoules, pliers, tongs, and other household tools should not be used to open the ampoule.

After breaking off the tip of the ampoule, be sure to ensure that no glass fragments get inside. Place the syringe needle into the opened ampoule and draw up the medicine by pulling the plunger. Make sure that the cut of the needle is always completely immersed in the solution, otherwise air bubbles will get into the syringe along with the medicine, which can cause an infiltrate (compaction) to appear at the injection site. Before making an injection, the needle must be replaced, as it could become dull on the walls of the ampoule.

The most important thing when opening an ampoule with a drug (especially with improvised means) is not to rush and be careful, then you will certainly succeed.

Attack of headache (tooth, stomach) pain. The cure for it has long been invented - an ampoule with an analgesic, a syringe - and in 10 minutes life will be filled with meaning again. But when we try to extract the drug, we may be in for an unpleasant surprise prepared by our own pharmaceutical companies - the ampoule may not be so easy to open. A few minutes of desperate struggle, curses addressed to the one who came up with all this, the crack of breaking glass, treating cut limbs with an antiseptic - and the road to a painless existence is clear. A situation familiar to almost everyone. These unpleasant moments can be avoided if you know how to open the ampoule.

The modern pharmaceutical industry offers several types of glass packaging for injectable drugs, which are opened in different ways.

History of the ampoule And it all started in the 19th century. Historians have differing opinions regarding the inventor of the ampoule. Some believe that the ancestor of the container was the Russian pharmacist A.V. Pel. Western experts give the palm to the Frenchman Stanislav Limousin. But the fact is that in the 80s of the last century, a glass vessel with a narrow elongated neck and a wide base was invented, intended for storing a sterile drug. The name of the container comes from the Greek word “amphora” - vessel. Until now, domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers produce injectable forms in ampoules that painfully resemble a 130-year-old “old lady.”

Glass ampoule without notch To successfully open a glass ampoule, you need to be armed with knowledge, apply strength and manual dexterity. A conscientious manufacturer must complete the packaging with the drug with a scarifier or a knife for ampoules. In this case, the buyer is lucky, and the algorithm of actions is standard:

• shake the ampoule;
• using a scarifier, file the neck of the ampoule, choosing the optimal distance from the top;
• wipe the cut area with alcohol;
• wrap the neck with cotton wool or a napkin and, in the “away from you” position, break off the sawn tip of the ampoule.

If, when trying to find a knife for ampoules, only disappointment awaits, then the situation becomes more complicated. To resolve it, you can, firstly, ask the pharmacist to find the scarifier in another package.

Secondly, use a nail file as an abrasive to open the ampoule, after wiping it with alcohol.

Well, for those who are not looking for easy ways, the third, most cruel option is to wrap the container with the treasured medicine in cotton wool and break off its top, leaving it to chance. If, as a result of the efforts expended, the glass fragments did not fall inside the container and scatter throughout the room, the first barrier has been overcome. All that remains is to open the ampoule without spilling the medicine and the blood of the future patient. If you succeeded, you can consider yourself a virtuoso.

Glass ampoule with notch According to European standards, ampoules must have a colored ring or break point. The glass at the break point is much thinner, and opening an ampoule with a point is not difficult. Having treated the ampoule with an antiseptic and armed with a napkin, you need to press on the notch and carefully break off the neck of the ampoule - that’s the whole algorithm.

Bottle of dry powder Some drugs are not stable in dissolved form and are available in powder form. If you are the proud owner of a bottle of dry powder, the task of opening it and extracting the medicine can turn into a puzzle.

First, you need a solvent. Most often this is water for injection, an anesthetic solution or an isotonic solution. Sometimes manufacturers produce it complete with the main drug. Otherwise, the solvent is purchased separately.

Secondly, you need a syringe.

Well, the process itself:

• You need to fill the syringe with the required volume of solvent (for clarification, read the instructions for the drug);
• remove the cap from the bottle (it can be metal, cut off with scissors or a knife, or plastic);
• under the top cover you will find the bottom, rubber one, which you should not forget to wipe with alcohol;
• pierce the rubber cap with a syringe needle and inject the solvent into the bottle;
• Shake the bottle thoroughly to make sure that all the drug has dissolved;
• draw the solution with the same syringe;
• change the needle on the syringe to a new, sterile one.

And stay healthy!

Sometimes it is necessary to give an injection at home. This may be an injection of vitamins, sedatives, or as prescribed by a doctor. It is not always possible to go to a clinic, where they know exactly how to open the ampoule and administer the drug. But how can you protect yourself from mistakes and not cause harm when injecting yourself at home?

How to open an ampoule correctly?

First of all, you need to open the ampoule correctly. There are two types of ampoules according to the opening method:

• traditional ones, which require a notch on the neck;
• with a point where the glass cone is broken.

First you need to determine the type of ampoule. This is usually not written on the packaging. But a quick glance at the glass flask is enough to understand whether it is traditional or not.

The dot can be black, red or another color. If it is not on the neck, then to open it you need a special nail file, which is hidden under the top lid of the package. This file has the shape of a circle with a cut out segment, the edges of which are covered with abrasive material.

The sequence of opening the ampoule includes the following steps:

1) sawing is done with abrasive edges along one side of the neck;

2) without unnecessary effort, apply a nail file 3-4 times along the selected side of the ampoule;

3) then you need to moisten a cotton pad or ball in an antiseptic;

4) with one hand the base of the cone with the medicine is held, and the thumb and index fingers of the second hand grasp the protrusion of the ampoule;

5) to avoid injuring your fingers, cotton wool is used;

6) the break is made by a sharp movement of the hand in the direction opposite to where there is a cut.

This is the correct sequence for opening a medical ampoule. However, the nail file may get lost. Then a nail file from a cosmetic set or a piece of sandpaper will serve as a replacement. Be sure to wipe the cut area with alcohol or another antiseptic to prevent microorganisms from entering the preparation.

Opening the ampoule with a dot

Some manufacturers produce more advanced solutions - with a marker. In this case, the opening process is simplified and includes the following steps:

• the cone marker is directed towards itself;
• The ampoule opens with a slight movement of the hand away from you.

In this case, there is no need to use cotton wool, since the risk of injury is minimal.

Then the drug is drawn into a syringe, air is released and an injection is made into the muscle. The injection site is disinfected before this. The solution is injected smoothly, after which the needle is removed and a cotton ball is applied in its place.

Quite often a person finds himself in a situation where he needs to get an injection. There are never any difficulties when going to a specialized medical institution to carry out this manipulation. An experienced healthcare professional will know how to open the ampoule, mix the solution with the medicinal powder, and prepare the syringe. However, many people are accustomed to self-treatment and prefer to administer injections at home, with the help of relatives.

If you are one of the patients who do not want to visit medical institutions to receive the next dose of medicine, then you probably have a question about how to open an ampoule of medicine yourself. Also, some cosmetic preparations are produced in glass vials, for example, ampoules for hair, vitamin preparations for the skin. Many women already easily carry out a number of manipulations and quickly get to the contents of a glass container. There are several ways to properly open an ampoule. By following the instructions, you can easily complete this maneuver. Let's look at several methods in detail.

First method: using a file

Typically, glass containers with medicinal or cosmetic preparations are sold in a package with a special file. Using it, you can easily get to the contents of the ampoule.

Hold the medicine in one hand. With the fingers of your other hand, firmly grasp the file and make several back-and-forth movements with the tool along the narrowest part of the glass container.

After this, you need to take a paper napkin or scrap fabric and wrap it around the top of the glass. With a sharp but careful movement away from you, break the glass and open the package.

Second method: using improvised means

Sometimes situations arise when the file for opening medicines is lost or was initially missing. What to do in this situation? How to open an injection ampoule without a file? In this case, you can use improvised means, for example, a knife or a nail file.

Similar to the first method, take an ampoule and, using the selected tool, make several cuts on its neck in a narrow place. After this, open the drug, having previously wrapped the glass with a napkin.

It should be noted that a nail file is a more effective tool for opening glass ampoules than a knife. However, it is worth considering that the material must be glass or metal. Paper nail files will be powerless in this situation.

How to open ampoules with a dot?

Recently, more and more often, manufacturers of medicinal injections are producing packaging that does not require preliminary filing. Information about this is usually not indicated on the packaging. How do you know that an ampoule can be opened without a file?

This type of glass container has a point in a wide area of ​​the neck. It can be red, green or black. Also, this type of injection has a rim of the corresponding color in a narrow place of the neck. This is why it is necessary to break the packaging.

Take the ampoule with the dot in your hand. Cover the top of the glass with your other hand (don't forget the napkin). Make a sharp movement away from you and open the medicine.

How to open an ampoule with dry powder?

In most cases, medications for injections are available in ready-made liquid form, but some drugs require preliminary preparation. In this case, you will have two ampoules that need to be opened. One of them has liquid contents. How to open such packaging is explained by the methods described above.

The second glass container usually has dry bulk contents. The instructions suggest mixing these two bases. In order to get to the loose powder, you need to do the following.

Open the vial of liquid and draw the medicine into the syringe. Open the second ampoule using any sharp object: a knife, scissors or a nail file. Use a tool to pick up a corner of the metal cover and carefully bend it back. Insert the syringe needle into the ampoule, piercing the rubber cap. After this, you need to mix the medicine thoroughly and draw it back into the syringe.

Conclusion

Use the option that suits you on how to open the ampoule. For the right choice try each of the methods described. Remember to be careful when working with glass.

If you often have to open ampoules, purchase a special silicone device. It will help you open glass cones without injury or additional resources.

Before starting the procedure, wipe the glass with cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution. This is necessary in order to prevent microbes from entering the medicine.

Instructions

Take the one you need ampoule With medicine. Be sure to check the expiration date, as expired medications are extremely dangerous to health. Lightly click the ampoule with your finger several times. This is necessary so that the medicine moves from the tip of the flask to the bottom.

Take out the special file that usually comes with the kit and file the tip of the ampoule on all sides. If you bought the medicine without a box, try using a regular nail file. In extreme cases, you can use a regular kitchen knife.

Wrap ampoule cloth, this is necessary so that when further actions You didn't accidentally cut yourself. Break off the tip of the ampoule by pressing firmly with your thumb.

Drop in ampoule needle the syringe so that its cut is completely immersed in the liquid and begin to gradually draw up the medicine. As soon as you see that there is little left, tilt ampoule horizontally, turn the needle upside down and press it against the glass as much as possible. These steps will allow you to draw the drug with a minimum amount of air bubbles. Before giving the injection, do not forget to change the needle.

Many manufacturers of imported medicines produce ampoules that do not need to be filed. They can be distinguished by the presence of a special groove. To open one ampoule, just wrap a cloth around its tip and press harder on it. Just make sure that the breaking point is at the top and not at the bottom.

If the medicine is not intended for injections, but for internal use, then under no circumstances overfill or take the medicine directly from the ampoule, as small fragments may remain in it. Draw up the liquid through a syringe and carefully pour into a clean container. If necessary (if it does not contradict the instructions), the medicine can be diluted or washed down with water.

The liquid drug for injection is sold in ampoules, and the powder medicine is sold in vials. To dilute the powder in a bottle, buy a special solvent. Check with your doctor in advance which solvent is suitable for the prescribed drug. As a rule, the contents of the ampoule do not need to be diluted.

Instructions

1. Carefully inspect the glass ampoule, read the name of the drug, expiration date and quantity of the drug.

2. Shake the ampoule with the medicine so that the liquid goes down and use a special nail file, which you will find in the box with the ampoules, to file the “neck” around the circumference. There are ampoules that do not need to be filed. If there is a mark in the form of a dot on the neck, then by pressing away from yourself, open the ampoule.

3. Using cotton wool moistened with alcohol, break off the sawn tip of the ampoule away from you.

4. Lower the needle into the ampoule and, by pulling the plunger of the syringe, slowly draw up the medicine.

If you do not have an ampoule, but a bottle ( open view ampoules), then proceed as follows.

1. Bend the cap on the bottle using a metal object.

2. Use a syringe to draw up the injection solvent.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• how to open an ampoule correctly

Sodium caffeine benzoate is a synthetic drug derived from caffeine found in tea leaves, coffee seeds and kola nuts. It is produced in the form of tablets and a 20% solution in ampoules.

What are the medicinal properties of caffeine

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increases mental and physical performance, reduces the feeling of fatigue and drowsiness, speeds up and strengthens heart contractions. In addition, it has a vasodilating effect, increases blood pressure, increases urination and secretory activity of the digestive organs.

In what cases is the use of caffeine indicated?

Caffeine is indicated for use in diseases accompanied by depression of the functions of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, to increase physical and mental tone, combat bedwetting. Diseases of the first group include infectious diseases, migraines, drug poisoning, etc.

Caffeine is taken 2-3 times a day, 0.2 g. The maximum single dose is 0.5 g, the daily dose is 1.5 g. If necessary, the drug is administered by injection.

The use of caffeine sodium benzoate may be accompanied by insomnia, palpitations, trembling of the limbs, ringing in the ears, shortness of breath and vomiting. These side effects are rare.

Contraindications to the use of caffeine

Caffeine is contraindicated for use in cases of increased excitability, severe hypertension or atherosclerosis, and insomnia. It should not be used in severe cardiovascular diseases, glaucoma and in old age (over 70 years). During pregnancy and lactation, the drug can be used if the recommendations are followed.

It should be borne in mind that with systematic abuse of caffeine, drug dependence can develop.

The use of caffeine ampoules in the fight against cellulite

To combat cellulite, caffeine ampoules are used in masks and wraps. Caffeine has a positive effect on the skin, moisturizing it, stimulating the breakdown of fat deposits, shrinking pores, and improving local blood and lymph flow. The drug also helps to increase muscle tone, improve skin firmness and elasticity.

To get rid of cellulite, you need to use caffeine ampoules in combination with other active ingredients - for example, menthol, comfort, rutin, seaweed. Such creams and gels improve blood circulation, tissue metabolism, and stimulate outflow excess liquid and ultimately promote weight loss.

Caffeine wraps

Caffeine-sodium benzoate ampoules can be used for wraps. Applying cosmetics to the skin and wrapping it with cling film creates a greenhouse effect, which restores normal blood circulation in the skin cells, improves sweating, and removes harmful microelements. Before wrapping, the skin must be cleaned, for which you can use a scrub made from coffee grounds.

Mix a teaspoon of any base cream with 4 ampoules of caffeine and Capsicum ointment. Apply to problem areas, wrap with cling film. Keep the film on for 3 hours, do not eat or drink during this time. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, you can do exercises or dance. The result will become noticeable after 10 procedures.

Video on the topic

Pharmaceutical companies produce some medicines and cosmetics in glass ampoules. But if it is necessary to extract the drug from the ampoule, for most of us it becomes a huge problem, prepared by our well-wishers pharmacists.

Probably everyone has encountered such a situation. Of course, this problem can be avoided if you know exactly how to open the ampoule.

The procedure for opening an ampoule with a medicinal product

1. To begin with, as required by generally accepted rules for the use of any medicines, you need to read the name of the drug, determine the volume, and also make sure that the expiration date corresponds to the date of direct use of the medicine.
2. As a rule, along with the medicine and its instructions, there is a special nail file for opening ampoules and bottles. Before using the nail file, this ampoule must be shaken well so that all the medicine is at the bottom of the bottle.
3. Then use a nail file to “walk” around the circumference of the neck of the ampoule, gradually filing it away.
4. Using a cotton swab that has been previously moistened with alcohol, thoroughly wipe the ampoule and, pressing, break off the neck away from you. To protect yourself from cuts, it is recommended to use a napkin or cotton wool, first wrapping the neck of the ampoule before breaking off the top of the ampoule.
5. Lower the syringe with the needle into the opened ampoule, pull the piston, and draw the required volume of solution.

It is necessary to take into account the nuance that when taking the medicine, the tip of the needle may curl up as a result of its contact with the walls of the vessel (and/or its bottom). For this reason, the needle may become dull. Thus, it is considered correct to use one needle to collect the drug, and the second one is taken directly for the injection itself.

Also, observing asepsis, it is recommended to use two needles. When manipulating the needle, its sterility is violated, which can cause unwanted complications after the injection. Additional individual needles can always be purchased at the pharmacy.

How to open an ampoule without a nail file?

First way

Nowadays there are often ampoules and bottles that can be opened without a special nail file. The manufacturer has provided a structure that allows you to do without it. But, as a rule, such information is not indicated on the packaging, and the nail file is not provided in the packaging, so it will be necessary to check it directly in practice.

Using a napkin or rag, press on the ampoule and break off the neck. If the attempt is unsuccessful, then the ampoule will still have to be sawed off.

Second way

Instead of a special nail file, you can use:

• Manicure file. The result obtained will be the same as from a special nail file. You need to hold the tool at an angle of 45 degrees to the neck and file. Then follow the same steps - wrap the ampoule with a napkin and, pressing on the cut site, break off the top of the ampoule.
• A kitchen knife can also be used at home for this purpose. However, the effectiveness may be less than with a nail file. In order to open the ampoule, you need to make cuts in different directions and break off the neck, protecting yourself from cuts.

Dry powder ampoule

In order to use a medicine in powder form, which is intended for injection, you must first dissolve it. As a solvent, you can use various substances provided - special water, novocaine, lidocaine, etc.

Options for acceptable solvents must be indicated in the instructions for the drug itself, or the doctor must indicate it himself, depending on the specific case of use of the drug.

To begin, you need to draw the required amount of the specified solvent into the syringe, remove the protective metal cap from the bottle and wipe the rubber cap underneath with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. After this, inject the contents of the syringe into the ampoule and shake the bottle thoroughly.

Turning it upside down, again draw the resulting ready-made injection into the syringe. Before administering the solution to the patient, the needle must be replaced with a new one, since the needle, for obvious reasons, could become blunt.

How to reduce air bubbles getting into the syringe

• When taking medicine, the cut of the needle should always be completely immersed in the solution, otherwise air will get into the syringe along with the medicine, which will cause those very bubbles that are sometimes so difficult to get rid of. This is the main reason why air gets into the syringe. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the cut of the needle and immerse it completely in the medicine.
• When the liquid begins to run out in the ampoule, it will need to be placed horizontally, and the cut of the needle should be pressed as much as possible against the wall of the bottle. After such actions, the needle becomes dull and in order to reduce pain in the patient, it is advisable to change it to a new one. Separately packaged needles are sold at pharmacies.
• In a situation where bubbles do get into the syringe, they are removed by beating it. If air still remains in the syringe and enters the body as a result of intramuscular injection, then this is not so scary, but it is advisable to avoid such cases. After the injection, air may end up in the muscle or intercellular space, or in a vessel. For this reason, the capillary vessel may die, since it will be blocked by the very air that got into it.

If the volume of air was greater, then in this case an “air infiltrate” will appear in the muscle, which is a compaction, a lump. The symptoms and consequences are the same as with normal infiltration. This is also not dangerous, but quite an unpleasant phenomenon. Still, it is better to avoid getting air into the syringe with the medicine and carry out injections according to the instructions included with the medicine.

By adhering to these seemingly simple rules, you can carry out the entire injection procedure as painlessly and safely as possible - from opening the ampoule to directly administering it to the patient.

1. Carefully inspect the ampoule, read the name of the medicine, its quantity and expiration date. 2. Shake the ampoule so that the medicine goes down, and file at the transition point from the narrow to the wide part (the file is in the box with the medicine). 3. Using a special file for ampoules, carefully file the “neck” of the ampoule around the circumference. 4. Use a cotton swab moistened with alcohol to wipe the ampoule and break off the tip away from you (better wrap the ampoule with a paper napkin or cotton wool- this way you will protect yourself from accidental cuts). 5. Lower the needle and syringe into the ampoule, pull the plunger towards you and draw in the medicine.

Please note that when taking medicine from an ampoule or vial, when the needle comes into contact with the walls of the vessel (and/or its bottom), the tip of the needle may “curl”, and thus the needle becomes dull.
For this reason, in medicine it is considered correct to use two needles for injection: one to draw the drug, the other to directly inject.
The second reason for the need for two needles is the rules of asepsis. With many manipulations with the needle, especially when in contact with the cap of the bottle, etc., the sterility of the needle is disrupted and thus the likelihood of developing complications after the injection increases.

The entry of air into the body during an intramuscular injection is not dangerous, but it is also not desirable.

When administered intramuscularly, the air remaining in the syringe can enter either the muscle/intercellular space or the vessel (capillary). An air bubble that gets into a capillary can block it, and this vessel will die. In a more severe case (and with a large volume of air), when air enters the muscle, a so-called “air infiltrate” (bump, compaction) can form - with all the usual symptoms and consequences of an infiltrate. It's unpleasant, but also not dangerous.
In our opinion, it is better to carry out injections according to the instructions and “knock out” air bubbles from the syringe before introducing the drug into the body.