Hospital Safety

Hospital Safety Information: Allergies to Gluten and Corn


General Information:

• NO hand sanitizer - hands should be washed with soap and water

• Gloves must be powder-free nitrile variety

• Cloth gowns and bedding instead of paper covers. I have an emergency gown and my emergency contacts can provide clean linens.

• NO powdered rubber instruments - metal or glass only

• Any tools disinfected with alcohol should be rinsed prior to use

• NO dissolvable sutures - only use non-dissolvable nylon or polypropylene sutures that have been rinsed to dispose of corn starch.

• Saline IV only! No dextrose!

• For ANY medication given, check the inactive ingredients against the list below!!

Ingredients to Avoid:

• wheat, barley, rye (anything with gluten)
• corn (anything with the word corn, like corn starch, corn syrup, etc)
• maltodextrin
• dextrose
• citric acid
• sorbitol
• glucose
• aspartame
• fluoride
• glucose
• sucrose
• fructose
• non-specified starches
• modified starch
• glycerin
• natural flavors

**See the corn allergen list for more ingredients/derivatives to avoid.**

Anesthesia Information

For local anesthetics, use only carbocaine or preservative-free lidocaine. No inactive ingredients other than water and/or sodium chloride!

Safe General Anesthetics:

• Versed (Hospira)

Avoid General Anesthetics:

• Propofol

Antibiotics Information

Safe:

• Keflex (Cephalexin) - red capsule. (potato starch)
• Rocephin (Ceftriaxone) - injection. (Check that it isn't treated in ethanol. It should be mixed with sterile water or saline only. Also check that the lidocaine is corn free.)
• Zithromax (only brand-name. The generics usually have corn starch.)

Avoid:

• Cipro
• Levaquin
• Bactrim (and the Qualitest generic version as well)

Blood Products/Transfusions

Check the inactive ingredients and anticoagulants, as many are corn-derived. Please discuss information with patient or emergency contact before using blood products. If a transfusion is absolutely necessary, please take necessary precautions to prepare for possible allergic reactions.

Inhaled Medications

Safe:

• Xopenex
• Albuterol-only nebulizers

Avoid:

• Ethanol propellants
• Anything with added ingredients included on the above-mentioned list

Injected Medications

Safe:

• Saline IV
• Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride injection (check inactive ingredients)
• Ranitidine Hydrochloride injection (check inactive ingredients)
• Rocephin injection (without dextrose!!)

Avoid:

• Lactated Ringers
• Dextrose in IV

Wound Treatment and Disinfectants

Safe:

• Saline
• Betadine solution (if it contains only water, povidone iodine, and sodium hydroxide)
• Purdue brand Betadine is safe
• Isopropyl alcohol (only if necessary)
• Non-dissolvable nylon or polypropylene sutures (rinse to remove corn starch)
• Carbocaine or preservative lidocaine for local anesthetics (the only inactive ingredients should be water and/or sodium chloride)
• Cotton gauze
• Kerlix or Coban Tape

Avoid:

• Citric Acid
• Glycerin
• Pareth alcohol
• Ethanol
• Dissolvable sutures
• Local anesthetics with inactive ingredients other than water/sodium chloride
• Most adhesive bandages
• Steri-strips