Symjepi Epinephrine Injection Device Deconstruction and Residual Medication Retrieval in an Austere Environment

Wilderness Environ Med. 2023 Mar;34(1):82-87. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2022.10.009. Epub 2022 Dec 21.

Abstract

Epinephrine is the primary therapy in the treatment of anaphylaxis. Epinephrine delivery devices are commonplace in out-of-hospital care of anaphylaxis because they administer a standardized dose of epinephrine, limit human error, and allow for ease of use by the operator. However, a major limitation of these devices is the single-use nature of the products. In an austere setting, the ability to obtain additional doses from an autoinjector may prevent further progression of anaphylaxis. Previous articles have demonstrated the deconstruction of spring-loaded epinephrine autoinjectors to extract additional medication doses. This article provides instruction and videography, outlining the process of deconstructing and obtaining additional doses of epinephrine from the Symjepi prefilled syringe.

Keywords: allergy; anaphylaxis; improvisation; wilderness; wilderness medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Anaphylaxis* / drug therapy
  • Epinephrine*
  • Humans
  • Injections
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Self Administration

Substances

  • Epinephrine
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations