Year: 2007
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: The use of eye protection by operating team personnel is a matter of personal preference.A review of the literature reveals the risks for eye blood splash contamination, disease transmission and penetrating eye injury during surgical procedures are real.To quantify the potential risk of blood splash contamination to the eye region of theatre staff directly involved in day to day orthopaedic trauma operative procedures, to enable staff to make an informed choice when considering the use of eye protection. Method and results:We present a prospective study determining the risk of eye blood splash contamination to surgeon, assistant and scrub nurse in 100 consecutive trauma operations, in a District General Hospital.The eye-protective visors of each member of the surgical team were tested by visual inspection and reagent test for macroscopic and microscopic blood splash.Additional information recorded included the type and duration of procedure, grade of operating surgeon and whether irrigation, tourniquet and power tool had been used.During 62/100 trauma operation at least one operating team member received visor blood splash.The use of power tools is statistically significant risk factor for blood splash, (P-value = 0.0007).The use of irrigation was a statistically significant risk factor for blood splash to the scrub nurse (Pvalue = 0.001).There were 117 visor blood splashes in a total of 239 staff activities (49%).Non-protected staff can anticipate eye blood splash in approximately half of all trauma operations, albeit microscopic in some cases.Staff were unaware that of actual splash on 69/117 occasions. Conclusion:We conclude the risk of eye blood splash contamination in trauma surgery is significant.Health-care workers performing orthopaedic trauma procedures should consider using eye protection for all cases.
Source: Injury Extra
Authors: P. Patterson, D. Westacott, M. Scott, T. Sherrief, M. Reid
Institution: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W1971060489