title: Use of a surgical helmet system to minimize splash injury during percutaneous renal surgery in high-risk patients.
abstract: The transmission risk to surgeons performing percutaneous renal surgery on patients who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C is unknown. A recent study found 55% of surgeons' masks contain evidence of blood splash contamination after percutaneous nephrolithotomy. While the risk of infectious disease transmission to the surgeon after mucocutaneous exposure is unknown, the incapacitating disease these pathogens cause can have a devastating and permanent effect on a surgeon's career. We describe our use of a surgical helmet system when performing percutaneous renal surgery on high-risk patients to minimize risk of splash injury and transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. jaeandi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Eandi
authors.forename: Dana K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Nanigian
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Roger K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012306:Risk; D013519:Urogenital Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*