title: Patterns of occupational hand injury in pathology. The interaction of blades, needles, and the dissector's digits.
abstract: Details of injuries and exposures to body fluids while handling tissue that were sustained by 36 pathologists (nine residents and 27 staff pathologists) were ascertained by retrospective questionnaire. In the preceding year 56% (20/36) had sustained a cut or needlestick injury. A total of 72 individual injuries occurred and corresponded to one injury for every 2629 surgical specimens handled and for every 37 autopsies performed. Residents reported a five-fold excess in injuries compared with staff pathologists. The lesions described predominantly (67%) involved the oppositional area consisting of the distal thumb, index, and middle fingers of the nondominant hand; during dissection, when opposed to hold or retract tissue, these digits form a surface that is directly exposed to the cutting edge, and injury to this area may be termed dissector's digital injury. Injuries to other areas of the nondominant hand were much less numerous and the dominant hand was rarely injured. Splashes to the face and eyes and glove punctures were frequent. These injury and exposure rates are probably broadly representative of practice in areas of low acquired immunodeficiency syndrome prevalence and may be improved on with increasing concern about human immunodeficiency virus infection. It is likely, however, that development of comfortable protective devices, based on knowledge of the pattern and circumstances of injury, will be necessary to eliminate these occupational hazards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: O'Briain
mesh_terms: D005385:Fingers; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009339:Needles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D010336:Pathology; D011677:Punctures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires