[Risk injuries at operating and delivery rooms. EPINETAC Project 1996-2000].
OBJECTIVE
Surgical areas have long been considered risky with regard to occupational exposures to blood-borne pathogens. The objective of study was to describe and evaluate the risk of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens at operating and delivery rooms, from reports of injuries in health care workers.


METHODS
Transversal study of percutaneous injuries occurring in operating and delivery rooms which were registered in the Spanish surveillance system EPINETAC (Exposure Prevention Information Network Accidents) between 1996 and 2000. We recorded data from the exposed health care worker, from the accident itself and from the exposure source. The risk of exposition was calculated by logistic regression. The dependent variable was the exposition in operating/delivery rooms. We calculated the rate of exposure, total and by occupational categories, per 10,000 surgical procedures in 3 surgical specialties.


RESULTS
There were 3,625 percutaneous injuries reported. The exposure risk was higher in midwives [OR 36.6 (CI 95% 19.61-68.52)] than in staff [OR 12.6 (CI 95% 10.21-15.71)] or training doctors [OR 12.8 (CI 95% 10.34-15.98)]. The highest risk turned up during use of material [OR 1.37 (CI 95% 1.05-1.79)] and during preparation of material for reuse [OR 1.81 (CI 95% 1.27-2.59)]. The exposure rate, in gynecologic procedures, was 34.36 injuries per 10,000, in digestive surgery it was 24.61 per 10,000, and in trauma surgery it was 18.92 per 10,000 surgical procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens in staff and training doctors was higher in operating and delivery rooms than in others areas. Obstetric and gynecologic procedures exhibited the highest risk of exposure.
Arribas Llorente
José Luis
JL
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain. jlarribas@salud.aragob.es
Hernández Navarrete
María Jesús
MJ
Campins Martí
Magda
M
Martín Sánchez
Juan Ignacio
JI
Solano Bernad
Víctor Manuel
VM
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D003696:Delivery Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012306:Risk; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology