title: A method of determining the presence of blood in and on a dental needle after the administration of local anesthetic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the study reported in this article, the authors aimed to demonstrate the presence of blood on the surface and in the lumen of two gauges of dental needles after administration of local anesthetic (LA) by using three LA-administering techniques normally used for the extraction of teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors obtained standardized photographs of 200 urine dipsticks after moistening the dipstick's chemical pads for blood with the first drop of liquid discharged from the needle lumen after LA administration. Using the histogram function of a software program, the authors analyzed differences in gray-scale values of the different blood parameters for the presence of blood. They used luminol spray to expose small quantities of blood on the surface of the needle after LA administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood was identified at 39 percent in the lumen and at 16 percent on the surface of the needles when analyzed after LA administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the method used, it was possible to demonstrate and quantify the percentage of blood present in the lumen of needles (39 percent) after the administration of dental LA. Furthermore, the technique was adequately sensitive for demonstrating the quantity of blood in two needles of different diameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By demonstrating the presence, as well as quantifying the percentage, of blood on two dental needles of different gauges after the administration of LA, dental health care workers can be motivated to report needlestick injuries and to follow the approved protocols recommended by their institutions.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Kotze is a senior lecturer, Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 1266, Pretoria, Gauteng 0001, South Africa, e-mail thinus.kotze@up.ac.za. Address correspondence to Dr. Kotze.
authors.forename: Marthinus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kotze
authors.affiliation: Ms. Labuschagne is the operational manager for infection control, occupational health and quality assurance, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
authors.forename: Willemien
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Labuschagne
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001769:Blood; D009339:Needles
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local
keywords: Anesthesia; dental bloodborne pathogens; dental students; disease transmission; occupational exposure; patient-to-professional transmission; photography