title: The incidence of potential conjunctival contamination in tonsillectomy.
abstract: A prospective study of 100 consecutive tonsillectomies was performed to assess the incidence of potential blood contamination of the surgeons' conjunctivae. Operating masks with plastic visors were used during these operations and examined by microscopy to detect blood contamination. 46% of visors were contaminated by blood. There was no significant difference with respect to how the operation was performed, or with the addition of adenoidectomy, but there was a significant difference between the rate of contamination between some surgeons. No surgeon performing more than three operations, however, escaped contamination. We recommend that eye protection be worn routinely in tonsillectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, U.K. G.Kelly@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gana
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: MacGregor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy