What's new in managing health hazards in pathology departments

Andrion, A; Pira, Enrico

doi:10.1016/s0344-0338(11)80453-x

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This finding might support the somewhat fatalistic behaviour of many consultants when rejecting cut-resistant gloves and accepting cutting injuries as an inconvenient but harmless requirement in pathology. Reports on infections resulting from such injuries are also very rare [21,23,24]. However the possibility of serious consequences exists, and the reduction of injuries in these high-risk fields should be given high importance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Occupational health risks of pathologists - results from a nationwide online questionnaire in Switzerland

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundPathologists are highly trained medical professionals who play an essential part in the diagnosis and therapy planning of malignancies and inflammatory diseases. Their work is associated with potential health hazards including injuries involving infectious human tissue, chemicals which are assumed to be carcinogenic or long periods of microscope and computer work. This study aimed to provide the first comprehensive assessment of the health situation of pathologists in Switzerland.MethodsPathologists in Switzerland were contacted via the Swiss Society of Pathologists and asked to answer an ethically approved, online anonymous questionnaire comprising 48 questions on occupational health problems, workplace characteristics and health behaviour.Results163 pathologists participated in the study. Forty percent of pathologists reported musculoskeletal problems in the previous month. The overall prevalence was 76%. Almost 90% of pathologists had visual refraction errors, mainly myopia. 83% of pathologists had experienced occupational injuries, mostly cutting injuries, in their professional career; more than one fifth of participants reported cutting injuries in the last year. However, long lasting injuries and infectious diseases were rare. Depression and burnout affected every eighth pathologist. The prevalence of smoking was substantially below that of the general Swiss population.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that more care should be taken in technical and personal protective measures, ergonomic workplace optimisation and reduction of work overload and work inefficiencies. Despite the described health risks, Swiss pathologists were optimistic about their future and their working situation. The high rate of ametropia and psychological problems warrants further study.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Biohazards are another intrinsic health risk for pathologists due to their work with potentially infective fresh human tissues during organ dissection, operative frozen section and autopsy [21,22]. While there is risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) transmission, reported cases are very rare [23-25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occupational health risks of pathologists - results from a nationwide online questionnaire in Switzerland

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Ethical issues including retention of organs after autopsy [1] and financial considerations [2] may have contributed to a global decrease in autopsy rates [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Virtual autopsy (Virtopsy) [12], in the form of MRI or computed tomography (CT) post-mortem investigation, could reduce the financial and physical/psychological burden [4,5,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] of autopsies, as well as appease fears and increase the autopsy rate amongst large populations of individuals with strong traditional, religious or cultural concerns [20]. Previous reviews still considered both, autopsy and virtopsy, supplementing each other [21,22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in harmonization of high-resolution post-mortem MRI (virtopsy) with respect to brain microstructure

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Enhanced resolution of 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners has considerably advanced our knowledge of structure and function in human and animal brains. Post-industrialized countries are particularly prone to an everincreasing number of ageing individuals and ageing-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases are associated with volume loss in the affected brain. MRI diagnoses and monitoring of subtle volume changes in the ageing/diseased brains have the potential to become standard diagnostic tools. Even with the superior resolution of 7 T MRI scanners, the microstructural changes comprising cell types, cell numbers, and cellular processes, are still undetectable. Knowledge of origin, nature, and progression for microstructural changes are necessary to understand pathogenetic stages in the relentless neurodegenerative diseases, as well as to develop therapeutic tools that delay or stop neurodegenerative processes at their earliest stage. We illustrate the gap in resolution by comparing the identical regions of the post-mortem in situ 7 T MR images (virtual autopsy or virtopsy) with the histological observations in serial sections through the same brain. We also described the protocols and limitations associated with these comparisons, as well as the necessity of supercomputers and data management for "Big data". Analysis of neuron and/ or glial number by using a body of mathematical tools and guidelines (stereology) is time-consuming, cumbersome, and still restricted to trained human investigators. Development of tools based on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) could considerably accelerate studies on localization, onset, and progression of neuron loss. Finally, these observations could disentangle the mechanisms of volume loss into stages of reversible atrophy and/or irreversible fatal cell death. This AI-and ML-based cooperation between virtopsy and histology could bridge the present gap between virtual reality and neuropathology. It could also culminate in the creation of an imaging-associated comprehensive database. This database would include genetic, clinical, epidemiological, and technical aspects that could help to alleviate or even stop the adverse effects of neurodegenerative diseases on affected individuals, their families, and society.

show abstract

“…Derivados de la profesión existen riesgos de la salud desatendidos en muchas ocasiones por los mismos patólogos. Estos incluyen los relacionados con la exposición a sustancias tóxicas como el formaldehído, irritante y posible carcinógeno 1---3 , el manejo de muestras biológicas (citologías, piezas quirúrgicas en fresco, estudios necrópsicos) con poder infectivo 4,5 , cortes y pinchazos por el uso de instrumental cortante y punzante y otros inherentes al trabajo de rutina diario, constituidos por problemas músculo-esqueléticos (PME), derivados de su actividad ligada íntimamente al uso del microscopio 1,6---10 , instrumento óptico empleado para alcanzar un diagnóstico citológico o histológico, tras su integración con los datos clínicos del paciente.…”

unclassified

Problemas músculo-esqueléticos en patólogos españoles. Prevalencia y factores de riesgo

Alcaraz‐Mateos

Caballero-Alemán

2015

Revista Española de Patología

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

What's new in managing health hazards in pathology departments

Cited by 12 publications

References 64 publications

Occupational health risks of pathologists - results from a nationwide online questionnaire in Switzerland

Occupational health risks of pathologists - results from a nationwide online questionnaire in Switzerland

The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in harmonization of high-resolution post-mortem MRI (virtopsy) with respect to brain microstructure

Problemas músculo-esqueléticos en patólogos españoles. Prevalencia y factores de riesgo

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About