Biomaterial Database

Intraoperative infectious disease exposure to otolaryngology operating room personnel. 1991

M S Benninger, and N Gupta, and K Gilmore

Department of Otolaryngology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI 48202.

Health care workers are at risk of exposure to serious infectious diseases. Since the seroconversion rate is approximately 0.4% for human immunodeficiency virus and may be greater than 20% for hepatitis exposure, these risks are substantial. To assess body fluid exposure to otolaryngology operating room personnel, elective operations were prospectively analyzed over 2 months. Statistical evaluation was made between types of cases and length of procedures. Thirty-eight contaminations occurred in 228 operations with 26 torn gloves, 1 soaked grown, 6 skin scratches, 4 skin punctures, and 1 ocular exposure. Exposure was more likely in cases longer than 3 hours. Independent of procedure length, head and neck operations carried the greatest risk, followed by otologic procedures, as compared to general, endoscopic, pediatric, and elective trauma cases. The impact of potential operative exposure and universal precautions is emphasized.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007430	Intraoperative Care	Patient care procedures performed during the operation that are ancillary to the actual surgery. It includes monitoring, fluid therapy, medication, transfusion, anesthesia, radiography, and laboratory tests.	Care, Intraoperative
D008824	Michigan	State bounded on the north by the Great Lakes, on the east by Canada, on the south by Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, and on the west by Lake Michigan and Wisconsin.
D009873	Operating Rooms	Facilities equipped for performing surgery.	Operating Room,Room, Operating,Rooms, Operating
D010036	Otolaryngology	A surgical specialty concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.	Otology,Otorhinolaryngology,Laryngology
D001769	Blood	The body fluid that circulates in the vascular system (BLOOD VESSELS). Whole blood includes PLASMA and BLOOD CELLS.
D001826	Body Fluids	Liquid components of living organisms.	Body Fluid,Fluid, Body,Fluids, Body
D003141	Communicable Diseases	An illness caused by an infectious agent or its toxins that occurs through the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent or its products from an infected individual or via an animal, vector or the inanimate environment to a susceptible animal or human host.	Infectious Diseases,Communicable Disease,Disease, Communicable,Disease, Infectious,Diseases, Communicable,Diseases, Infectious,Infectious Disease
D004868	Equipment Failure	Failure of equipment to perform to standard. The failure may be due to defects or improper use.	Defects, Equipment,Device Failure,Failure, Equipment,Malfunction, Equipment,Medical Device Failure,Misuse, Equipment,Device Failure, Medical,Device Failures, Medical,Failure, Medical Device,Failures, Medical Device,Defect, Equipment,Device Failures,Equipment Defect,Equipment Defects,Equipment Failures,Equipment Malfunction,Equipment Malfunctions,Equipment Misuse,Equipment Misuses,Failure, Device,Failures, Device,Failures, Equipment,Malfunctions, Equipment,Misuses, Equipment
D005932	Gloves, Surgical	Gloves, usually rubber, worn by surgeons, examining physicians, dentists, and other health personnel for the mutual protection of personnel and patient.	Surgical Gloves,Glove, Surgical,Surgical Glove
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man