Evaluation of microbial contamination associated with different preparation methods for neonatal intravenous fat emulsion infusion.

Purpose: Microbial contamination associated with different methods of neonatal intravenous fat emulsion (IVFE) preparation and delivery was evaluated.

Methods: Sterility testing was performed on IVFE dispensed via three different methods: (1) in the original container (n = 60), (2) repackaged into a syringe (n = 90), and (3) drawdown of the original container (n = 60). At the end of each infusion (24 hours for methods 1 and 3, 12 hours for method 2), a sample of the IVFE was withdrawn from the container using a sterile syringe in an International Organization for Standardization class 5 hood and sent to the hospital microbiology laboratory, where the samples were introduced into blood culture bottles and incubated for five days.