How to open an ampoule: video. How to open an ampoule with a dot? How to open an ampoule with a break point

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. The methods described above tell you how to open such packaging.

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 hook 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. To make the right choice, try each of the described methods. 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.

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.

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:

Read the name of the medicine, special attention should be paid to its expiration date.
The container must be shaken so that the medicine all falls down and does not spill when depressurized.
If the ampoule kit includes an item for filing (as a rule, it 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.
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.
Open the ampoule.

If the required 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, after purchasing 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?

Recently, drug manufacturers have come up with a way to safely 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.

To give an injection or extract a cosmetic product, you must first open the ampoule. And difficulties may arise already at this stage. To avoid them, learn the important rules of such a seemingly simple manipulation.

How to open ampoules correctly?

How to quickly and correctly open an ampoule of medicine? If the drug is imported, then most likely you will have in your hands a container with a dot or a mark, and such a mark is applied in the thinnest part of the glass. That is, it is in this place that the break needs to be made. First, it is better to wipe the ampoule with alcohol, then wrap it in a paper napkin or disk, and only then break off the upper narrow part in one sharp movement. You can then use the content.

If there is no mark on the ampoule, but the kit includes a special file intended for opening, then you need to use it. Take the container in one hand (preferably the left if the right is the working one), and control the nail file with the other hand. Begin filing the glass with confident movements. As soon as you see a clear notch formed during the sawing process, you can open the container. For this, also use a napkin or cotton pad.

If you are using a serum or other cosmetic product, then there may not be any notches or files included in the kit. But you can completely do without marks and additional devices, using improvised materials. So, it is most convenient to use a nail file, but it should be metal and thin. If you don't have one, use a pocket knife or small kitchen knife, but be very careful not to cut yourself. And before manipulation, any of the items must be disinfected!

How to store an opened ampoule?

How long can an open ampoule be stored? It all depends on its content. Thus, complex multi-component medications, as a rule, cannot be stored, so it is best to select a suitable volume and use it completely at one time, since it is unlikely to be possible to ensure tightness and sterility. And some substances are destroyed or change properties and structure when interacting with oxygen. And if you use an unsterile, expired or altered drug, you can not only negate its effectiveness, but also cause harm to health or even pose a threat to life.

If you use a cosmetic product or use the drug not for injection, but for other purposes, for example, for oral administration, adding to cosmetics or making masks for the face and body, then storage is allowed, but it has several rules.

First, close the container. To do this, the hole can be sealed with a plaster or tape, but you should not cover it with cotton wool, as lint may get into the solution, which is undesirable.
Secondly, it is best to put the ampoule in the refrigerator and warm it to room temperature before use.
And thirdly, carefully read the instructions before storing. In any case, you should not use the drug after more than three days.

Tip: you can use a syringe for storage, since this container is sealed and sterile inside. Open the ampoule, draw its contents into a syringe and put it in the refrigerator. It is also better to stick a piece of paper with the date the container was opened so as not to exceed the expiration date.

Calculate your strength and do not squeeze the ampoule very hard so as not to accidentally crush it, otherwise fragments will get inside or cut your hands.
It is better to carry out all manipulations with rubber gloves that will protect you from cuts. And if you use disposable ones, they will ensure sterility and prevent pathogenic microorganisms from entering the drug from your hands.
Before opening the ampoule, shake it or gently tap the top with your finger several times to allow the contents to flow down.
The direction of the fracture is important. It is better to open the ampoule away from you, and not towards you.
It is best to open the ampoule, that is, break off the upper part with your working hand, while the other should securely hold the container.
To avoid contamination due to accidental splashing of the product, as well as the spread of possible fragments, it is better to keep the ampoule over some container, table or sink, depending on where you are performing the opening.
Before opening, carefully examine the ampoule from all sides to find out if there is a mark on its neck. The dot or stripe may be small and unnoticeable, so it is better to be careful.
Hold the container securely so that its contents do not accidentally spill.

Now you can quickly open the ampoule in any conditions and save its contents.