title: Reduction of potential contamination of breast implants by the use of 'nipple shields'.
abstract: Forty-three breast implant operations in 25 patients were studied prospectively to determine the effectiveness of covering the nipple-areolar complex with an adhesive film dressing in preventing perioperative expression of bacteria from nipple ducts contaminating the operative field. One swab from the nipple after skin preparation and none of the swabs taken from the outer surface of the film dressing postoperatively yielded any bacterial growth. Fourteen breasts (33%) in 11 patients (44%) yielded bacterial growth from swabs under the film postoperatively. Six of 9 breasts (67%) in 5 patients who had capsulectomies had bacteria isolated from under the film postoperatively. Ten of 14 (71%) control breasts (no shields) in 6 of 7 patients (86%) had positive postoperative swabs. This study confirms the potential risk of bacterial contamination arising from nipple duct flora during intra-operative breast manipulation, and the effectiveness of a perioperative adhesive film placed over the nipple-areolar complex in preventing subclinical bacterial contamination of implanted breast prostheses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Bradford Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Collis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sharpe
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001458:Bandages; D019928:Breast Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation; D018427:Breast Implants / Q000382:microbiology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation; D011446:Prospective Studies