title: Infection related to ultrasound-guided single-injection peripheral nerve blockade: a decade of experience at toronto Western hospital.
abstract: The use of ultrasound guidance has revolutionized regional anesthesia practice. Ultrasound equipment disinfection techniques vary between institutions. To date, there are no large data set publications or evidence-based guidelines that describe risk-reduction techniques for infectious complications related to the use of ultrasound guidance for peripheral nerve blockade. We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 7476 patients who received ultrasound-guided single-injection peripheral nerve blockade from October 2003 to August 2013 using our institution's low-level disinfection technique in combination with a sterile transparent film barrier dressing to cover the ultrasound transducer. No indications of block-related infection were found. We conclude that using a practical and efficient low-level disinfection technique and sterile barrier dressing results in an extremely low rate of block-related infection following ultrasound-guided single-injection peripheral nerve blockade.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto; †Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Women's College Hospital; ‡Department of Infection Prevention and Control, University Health Network; and §Department of Anesthesia, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Husni
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alakkad
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naeeni
authors.forename: Vincent W S
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Noam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ami
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gardam
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brull
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*