Contamination risk from surgeons' gumboots

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5510343/Contamination-risk-from-surgeons-\

gumboots

Contamination risk from surgeons' gumboots

KATE NEWTON Last updated 05:00 26/08/2011

They're designed to keep your feet dry – but surgeons have found gumboots are no

protection from blood splashes.

A study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today finds that blood

found its way into nearly 60 per cent of gumboots worn by surgery staff in

theatre.

Researchers say contamination could be putting medical staff at risk of

blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Lead author Mike e checked 94 pairs of gumboots worn by staff at

Christchurch Hospital and found 55 pairs had blood inside them. About 80 per

cent of contaminated pairs had blood spots larger than 20 square millimetres –

about the size of a 20c piece.

The gumboots worn by medical staff during surgery are plain, white boots,

similar to those worn by freezing workers.

Gowns that were too short could be the culprits, the study said.

" The most likely cause would seem to be runoff from gowns into the open neck of

gumboots. "

Although the risk of infection from blood splashes was low, safety requirements

meant that all blood should be viewed as contaminated.

" It is important that universal precautions are adopted to minimise any risk

that does exist. All blood should be considered to be infectious and handled in

a manner consistent with this. "

At the moment, boots were only cleaned on the outside following surgery, meaning

any splashes that got inside could remain there until the boots were thrown out.

" Viral markers of [hepatitis B], [hepatitis C] and HIV remain in dried blood

that has been at room temperature for up to five weeks, " the study said.

" This would suggest that any risk of infection might be increased by the

multiple exposures to a bloodstain that could occur over a period of weeks. "

There was also the unpleasant factor of having someone else's blood on your

socks, Dr e said.

Dr e and the other researchers suggested that hospitals provide a greater

variety of gown sizes to make sure they were long enough to prevent

contamination.

The Dominion Post

[Guest guest]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5510343/Contamination-risk-from-surgeons-\

gumboots

Contamination risk from surgeons' gumboots

KATE NEWTON Last updated 05:00 26/08/2011

They're designed to keep your feet dry – but surgeons have found gumboots are no

protection from blood splashes.

A study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today finds that blood

found its way into nearly 60 per cent of gumboots worn by surgery staff in

theatre.

Researchers say contamination could be putting medical staff at risk of

blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Lead author Mike e checked 94 pairs of gumboots worn by staff at

Christchurch Hospital and found 55 pairs had blood inside them. About 80 per

cent of contaminated pairs had blood spots larger than 20 square millimetres –

about the size of a 20c piece.

The gumboots worn by medical staff during surgery are plain, white boots,

similar to those worn by freezing workers.

Gowns that were too short could be the culprits, the study said.

" The most likely cause would seem to be runoff from gowns into the open neck of

gumboots. "

Although the risk of infection from blood splashes was low, safety requirements

meant that all blood should be viewed as contaminated.

" It is important that universal precautions are adopted to minimise any risk

that does exist. All blood should be considered to be infectious and handled in

a manner consistent with this. "

At the moment, boots were only cleaned on the outside following surgery, meaning

any splashes that got inside could remain there until the boots were thrown out.

" Viral markers of [hepatitis B], [hepatitis C] and HIV remain in dried blood

that has been at room temperature for up to five weeks, " the study said.

" This would suggest that any risk of infection might be increased by the

multiple exposures to a bloodstain that could occur over a period of weeks. "

There was also the unpleasant factor of having someone else's blood on your

socks, Dr e said.

Dr e and the other researchers suggested that hospitals provide a greater

variety of gown sizes to make sure they were long enough to prevent

contamination.

The Dominion Post