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How to Inject CAVERJECT

Click on one of the sections for more information

What you’ll need

  • 2 alcohol swabs
  • Needle with cover
  • Disposable syringe
  • A vial of CAVERJECT Sterile Powder
  • A vial of diluent
  • A clean, flat, dry surface

CAVERJECT comes in 5, 10, 20, or 40 microgram strengths.

MAKE SURE you have the RIGHT STRENGTH VIAL of CAVERJECT.

Syringe and needle assembly

Wash your hands well with soap and water. Dry them with a clean towel.

Put the needle on the device:

  • Take the wrapper off the syringe. Place syringe on a clean, flat, dry surface
  • Peel the needle wrapper open to show the open end of the needle
    Do not touch the needle, or put it down

  • Pick up the syringe with the other hand
  • With your free fingers, take the syringe cap off.
    Do not touch the syringe tip
  • Keep the needle cover on and press the needle onto the syringe tip. Twist to tighten
  • Place syringe on a clean, flat, dry surface

Cleaning the vials

  • Remove the plastic caps from the vials of CAVERJECT and diluent
  • Take an alcohol swab and wipe the rubber tops of both vials. Throw the swab away
  • Hold the syringe barrel (not the plunger) and remove the needle cover. Keep the needle cover. You will need it. Do not touch the needle

Loading the diluent

  • Hold the syringe. Line the needle up with the center of the diluent vial’s top
  • Push the needle through the rubber top. Do not bend the needle
  • Keep the needle in the vial, and firmly hold the vial and syringe upside down in one hand
  • Keeping the needle tip below the level of fluid, pull back on the plunger until all the diluent is gone
  • Push the plunger to the 1-cc (mL) mark on the syringe
  • Hold the barrel of the syringe and pull the needle from the vial

Loading CAVERJECT

  • Hold the syringe. Line the needle up with the center of the CAVERJECT vial’s top
  • Push the needle through the rubber top. Do not bend the needle
  • Push the plunger in and down all the way

Mix the diluent and CAVERJECT right away.

  • Do not take out the needle, touch the needle, or touch the vial’s rubber top
  • Gently swirl (do not shake) the vial until all the powder is dissolved. Turn the vial and syringe upside down to gently swirl the vial to dissolve powder in the vial’s neck

DO NOT USE THE SOLUTION IF IT IS CLOUDY, COLORED, OR CONTAINS PARTICLES.

  • Keep the needle in the vial, and firmly hold the vial and syringe upside down in one hand
  • Keeping the needle tip below the level of fluid, pull back on the plunger until all the fluid is gone
  • If there are air bubbles:
    • Gently tap the syringe barrel until they float to the top

Keep the syringe upright for the next step.

Selecting the dose

Follow the dose prescribed by your doctor
  • Hold the syringe upright, and push the plunger to the correct volume mark. Use the dose prescribed by your doctor
  • Grasp the barrel of the syringe and pull the needle from the vial
  • Put the needle cover on the needle, and place the syringe down on a flat surface

Injection site

You should sit up straight or lie back slightly when you inject CAVERJECT.

CAVERJECT is injected into the spongy tissue of the penis. It runs up and down your penis on the right and left sides.

  • Choose an injection site on one side of the shaft of the penis
    • Make sure you avoid any veins you can see
    • Change the side of the penis you inject each time
    • Change the spot you inject each time
  • Hold the head of your penis with your thumb and first finger
  • Stretch your penis lengthwise along your thigh so the skin is tight
  • Clean the injection site with a new alcohol swab
    • Do not throw this swab away. You will use it again


  • Remove the needle cover

Hold the penis firmly against your thigh to keep it from moving during the injection. Hold the device between your thumb and first finger.

  • Push the needle into the injection site until the metal part of the needle is almost all the way in the penis
  • Push the plunger rod in as far as it will go—until all the medicine is injected


Grasp the syringe barrel to pull the needle out of your penis.

IMPORTANT: After you pull the needle out of your penis, hold the alcohol swab on the injection site for about 5 minutes, or until any bleeding stops.

  • Carefully put the outer cap back on the needle
  • Never share your medicine with anyone

Disposal

The CAVERJECT needle and syringe should never be reused.
  • After injecting, throw out the used syringe right away. Put it in a special container made for used syringes and needles. It can be a hard plastic container with a screw-on cap. Or a metal container with a plastic lid labeled "Used Syringes." Do not use glass or clear plastic containers
  • Learn the right way to throw out used vials, needles, and syringes. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist what to do
  • You can get these special containers from your doctor or pharmacist. Do not throw the container in the household trash or recycle bin. Always keep this container out of the reach of children




CAVERJECT is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) due to neurogenic, vasculogenic, psychogenic, or mixed etiology.


Important Safety Information

CAVERJECT should not be used in men hypersensitive to alprostadil, men with conditions that may predispose them to priapism (such as sickle cell anemia or trait, multiple myeloma or leukemia), men with anatomical deformities of the penis (such as angulation, cavernosal fibrosis or Peyronie’s disease), men with penile implants, or men for whom sexual activity is inadvisable or is contraindicated.

CAVERJECT should not be used in women, children or newborns.

Patients should be instructed to immediately report to his physician any erection lasting 4 hours or longer. If unavailable, patient must seek immediate medical assistance.

CAVERJECT can cause penile fibrosis or Peyronie’s disease.

Use of Caverject in patients who take anticoagulants, such as warfarin or heparin, should be with precaution as they may have increased tendency for bleeding after Caverject injections.

The most common side effect of CAVERJECT® (alprostadil for injection) was penile pain, reported by 37% of patients in clinical studies. Other side effects were prolonged erection, penile fibrosis and injection site hematoma. To lower the risk of prolonged erections or priapism, Caverject should be titrated slowly to the lowest effective dose.

For Full Prescribing Information for CAVERJECT®, including Instructions for Use, please click here.