Risk of blood splashes to masks and goggles during cesarean section.
BACKGROUND
The study arose out of concern about the transmission of infectious diseases through mucocutaneous contact with blood and body fluids. The purpose was to identify the risk of blood splashes to masks and goggles during cesarean section.


METHODS
The prospective study spanned 6 months between January and June 1998 to determine the incidence of blood splashes to the masks and goggles of surgeons, assistants, and scrub nurses. All the doctors and scrub nurses who participated in surgery were requested to wear masks and goggles for all the cesarean section cases during the study period. At the end of surgery, the surgeon examined all the masks and goggles for obvious blood splashes and documented these in a data sheet.


RESULTS
There were 144 cases of cesarean section performed during the period, of which 13.2% (19) were elective and 86.8% (125) were emergencies. 74.3% (107) of the patients registered for antenatal care and delivered in the institution, while 25.7% (37) cases were not booked but admitted for delivery. The mean age of the parturient and parity were 27.4+/-2.8 years and 5.8+/-2.4, respectively. The rate of blood splashes was 62.5% on the surgeons' masks, 63.2% on surgeons' goggles, 35.4% on assistants' masks, 38.9% on assistants' goggles, 11.1% on scrub nurses' masks, and 16.0% on scrub nurses' goggles.


CONCLUSIONS
We therefore recommend the use of masks and protective eye wear as part of routine surgical attire to avoid body fluid contamination that can result in acquiring infectious diseases.
Aisien
Aderemi Olabisi
AO
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. aisienao@uniben.edu
Ujah
Innocent Achanya Otobo
IA
D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008397:Masks; D009549:Nigeria; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D009873:Operating Rooms; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors