This Article Full Text (PDF) Erratum for Howlin et al References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Howlin, R. Articles by Keevil, C. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Acquisition of proteinaceous contamination through the handling of surgical instruments by hospital staff in sterile service departments

Environmental Healthcare Unit, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK, rph{at}soton.ac.uk

J. Harrison

Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital, Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke. UK

T. Secker

Environmental Healthcare Unit, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK

CW Keevil

Environmental Healthcare Unit, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK

Using Episcopic Differential Interference Contrast (EDIC) microscopy, this study has investigated the potential reapplication of prote ina ceouscontami napotential reapplication of proteinaceous contamination onto surgical instruments following a washer-disinfector cycle through the handling of staff within the clean room. The deposition of 0.51 ng/mm² of protein onto surgical grade stainless steel by one finger print alone has been demonstrated. Moreover, using a previously described contamination index, a 5 to 10-fold increase in protein present on surgical instruments was noted following handling by clean-room staff under current departmental practices, relative to instruments handled by staff wearing gloves. While unlikely to pose a direct risk to patient health, subsequent sterilisation will fix protein to an instrument surface thereby decreasing the effectiveness of further decontamination cycles. Current guidelines make no recommendations surrounding the use of gloves by staff working within the clean room. However it is clear that this matter must be reviewed to limit the unnecessary transference of protein to surgical instruments.

Key Words: Decontamination • sterile service departments • surgical instruments • episcopic differential interference contrast/epi-fluorescence microscopy • SYPRO Ruby

Journal of Infection Prevention, Vol. 10, No. 3, 106-111 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1757177409105073


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?