title: Intraoperative infectious disease exposure to otolaryngology operating room personnel.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI 48202.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Benninger
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gilmore
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood; D001826:Body Fluids; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005932:Gloves, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009873:Operating Rooms; D010036:Otolaryngology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D000078329:Workforce