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BLOOD CONTACTS DURING SURGERY ARE COMMON, OFTEN AVOIDABLE.

The AIDS epidemic has focused attention on the risk of infection incurred by surgeons and other health-care personnel during invasive procedures. This detailed observational study of 206 operations performed at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta shows that contact with patients' blood is common but often preventable.

Most incidents of exposure (90 percent) involved blood contact with skin, but 7 percent of injuries were percutaneous (such as needle sticks) and 3 percent were eye splashes. Blood contacts occurred in 30 percent of the operations and were most likely to occur during trauma, burn, or orthopedic emergency procedures. Other independent risk factors for blood contact were blood loss exceeding 250 ml and operations lasting more than one hour.

Based on input from infection-control specialists who observed the procedures, the investigators estimate that 74 percent of the blood contacts could have been prevented by barrier precautions such as face shields and fluid-resistant gowns. In an accompanying editorial, Gerberding and Schecter estimate that as many as 93 percent might have been preventable, and call mucocutaneous exposure to blood in the operating room "unacceptable."

— THL

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine April 2, 1991

Citation(s):

Gerberding JL; Schecter WP. Surgery and AIDS: reducing the risk. JAMA 1991 Mar 27 265 1572-1573.

• Medline abstract (Free)

Panlilio AL et al. Blood contacts during surgical procedures. JAMA 1991 Mar 27 265 1533-1537.

• Medline abstract (Free)