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Study of Blood Contact in Simulated Surgical Needlestick Injuries With Single or Double Latex Gloving

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Andreas Wittmann ,
Nenad Kralj ,
Jan Köver ,
Klaus Gasthaus  and
Friedrich Hofmann
Andreas Wittmann*
Affiliation:
Department of Safety Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Nenad Kralj
Affiliation:
Department of Safety Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Jan Köver
Affiliation:
Department of Safety Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Klaus Gasthaus
Affiliation:
Helios Klinikum Wuppertal, Klinik für Nuklearmedizin, Wuppertal, Germany
Friedrich Hofmann
Affiliation:
Department of Safety Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
*
University of Wuppertal, Dept. of Safety Engineering, Gauss Str. 20, D-42097 Wuppertal, Germany (andwitt@uni-wuppertal.de)
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Abstract

Objective.

Needlestick injuries are the most common injuries that occur among operation room personnel in the health care service. The risk of infection after a needlestick injury during surgery greatly depends on the quantity of pathogenic germs transferred at the point of injury. The aim of this study was to measure the quantity of blood transferred at the point of a percutaneous injury by using radioactively labeled blood.

Design.

This study was conducted to evaluate the risk of infection through blood contact by simulating surgical needlestick injuries ex vivo. The tests were conducted by puncturing single and double latex gloves with diverse sharp devices and objects that were contaminated with Technetium solution–labeled blood.

Results.

A mean volume of 0.064 μL of blood was transferred in punctures with the an automatic lancet at a depth of 2.4 mm through 1 layer of latex. When the double-gloving indicator technique was used, a mean volume of only 0.011 μL of blood was transferred (median, 0.007 μL); thus, by wearing 2 pairs of gloves, the transferred volume of blood was reduced by a factor of 5.8.

Conclusions.

The results revealed that double gloving leads to a significant reduction in the quantity of blood transferred during needlestick injury.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 53 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

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