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(Chest. 1995;107:1032-1034.)
© 1995 American College of Chest Physicians

Sterilization of Talc for Pleurodesis

Available Techniques, Efficacy, and Cost Analysis

Lisa Kennedy MD1; Steven A. Sahn MD, FCCP1; Leigh M. Vaughan PharmD2; and Lisa L. Steed PhD3

1 From the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
2 From the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
3 From the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston

Although talc has been used as a pleurodesis agent since 1935, a sterilization protocol has not been established. We obtained USP asbestos-free talc from six different suppliers and sterilized each using dry heat, gamma irradiation, and ethylene oxide gas. Aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal cultures were obtained prior to sterilization, and 1,30,and 90 days after sterilization. Bacillus species were cultured from all six unsterilized specimens and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus grew from two unsterilized specimens. No growth of organisms was found following any method of sterilization. The cost of sterilization per 5-g packet of talc was $4.74, $7.85, and $16.25 for heat, ethylene oxide, and gamma irradiation, respectively. In conclusion, untreated talc is not sterile. Sterilization by prolonged dry heat exposure, ethylene oxide gas, and gamma irradiation are all effective, with dry heat being the least expensive.

Key Words: pleurodesis • sterilization • talc

Submitted on June 22, 1994
Accepted on August 17, 2007




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