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Pressure sore prevention pads as an infective source in orthopaedic theatres

V S Ranawat1, J K Dowell, E L Teare

  • 1Departments of Orthopaedics and Microbiology, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7ET, UK. vijairanawat@hotmail.com

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|April 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Pressure sore prevention pads used in operating rooms often harbor bacteria, posing a risk for deep-seated infections during orthopaedic surgery. Reviewing pad usage and decontamination protocols is crucial to enhance patient safety.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Infection Prevention
  • Microbiology in Healthcare Settings
  • Orthopaedic Surgery Patient Care

Background:

  • Standard operating room protocol includes using pressure sore prevention pads for patient positioning in orthopaedic surgery.
  • These pads are routinely placed near the surgical site during procedures.
  • The potential for these pads to act as a vector for microbial contamination is a concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the microbiological contamination of pressure sore prevention pads used in orthopaedic surgery.
  • To evaluate the risk of bacterial transfer from these pads to the surgical field.
  • To provide recommendations for improving the safety of pad usage in theatre environments.

Main Methods:

  • Microbiological swabs were collected from pressure sore prevention pads immediately before orthopaedic implant surgery.
  • Pads were sampled from locations adjacent to the intended operative field.
  • Observations were made regarding the movement of these pads within the hospital theatre complex.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial growth was detected on 11 out of 13 sampled pressure sore prevention pads.
  • The identified bacteria were capable of causing deep-seated infections.
  • The transfer of pads between different theatre areas was observed, increasing contamination risk.

Conclusions:

  • Current use of pressure sore prevention pads in orthopaedic surgery presents a significant risk of microbial contamination.
  • Stricter decontamination protocols or the adoption of disposable alternatives are recommended.
  • Reviewing pad handling and usage is essential to prevent surgical site infections.

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