Summary
Key wordsInfection; Hepatitis B, acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Anaesthetists; complications.The Association of Anaesthetists advises all anaesthetists to wear gloves in the operating theatre for vessel cannulation and insertion or removal of airways and tracheal tubes.' The Expert Advisory Group on the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) also recommends gloves to be worn, as a minimum protective measure, for any procedures where there is likely to be contact with blood.2 This advice was produced as a response to growing concern about the risk to operating theatre staff of infection from blood and secretions from patients with hepatitis or human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection."This study has three objectives: to determine, the incidence of skin contamination of anaesthetic and related staff by patient's blood and saliva during a normal working week, the current Hepatitis B immunisation status of anaesthetists in Cardiff and the incidence of glove usage.
MethodsA questionnaire which asked about skin contamination by blood and saliva was attached to each anaesthetic record of every patient who received an anaesthetic in the main operating theatres at University Hospital of Wales and Cardiff Royal Infirmary for a 7-day working week in October 1989. The type of operation, nature of surgery (elective or emergency), grade of anaesthetist and occurrence of skin contamination by blood or saliva were recorded.Each anaesthetist in Cardiff was interviewed to determine whether he or she routinely wore gloves for oral or nasal tracheal intubation, the insertion of peripheral venous cannulae, arterial cannulae or central lines. Hepatitis B immunisation status was recorded. Comments were also sought as to the reasons why each did not routinely wear gloves in the operating theatre.
Results
Skin contamination by patients' blood and salivaTwo hundred and seventy anaesthetics were administered during the 7-day continuous period in the two hospitals, of which 252 (93%) forms were returned. Eighty-three percent (209) had elective surgery and 17% (43) emergency surgery. A total of 256 peripheral cannulae (some patients had more than one peripheral line while others had a venous cannula already in situ), 21 arterial lines and 20 central lines (nine drum catheters and 11 internal jugular lines) were inserted.Blood from 14% (35) patients caused skin Contamination of 65 people during 46 incidents (there was often more than one contamination incident per patient). Seventy-six percent (27) of the 35 patients involved in blood con-
Aim: To measure the effect of an in‐line microaerosol filter on spirometric values in cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods: Twenty‐six subjects with CF undertook a randomized, open, cross‐over comparison of spirometry with and without an in‐line filter. Results: The filter had no significant effect on spirometric parameters nor was there any order effect. Measurement error was unrelated to the magnitude of the measurement.
Conclusion: In‐line microaerosol filters do not affect spirometric values or variability in children with CF.
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