Ethyl chloride: an ineffective bacteriostatic or cidal agent for arthrocentesis.

The local and general anesthetic properties of ethyl chloride have been well delineated. The purpose of this study was to determine if ethyl chloride, when used as a local anesthetic, had any bacteriostatic or cidal effects on the normal array of skin flora. Fifteen different aerobic bacteria or fungi were collected from pure cultures. A total of 30 specimens were sprayed; 2 specimens of each of the 15 bacteria were sprayed with ethyl chloride for both 5 and 10 seconds. These specimens then were restreaked once the ethyl chloride had evaporated, and were incubated for 24 hours. At 24 hours the cultures were checked and found to have no significant growth inhibitions. It is thus concluded that ethyl chloride alone does not have any bacteriostatic or cidal effects on these commonly found skin flora.