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Use of condoms as blade covers during laryngoscopy, a method to reduce possible cross infection among patients
Ying-Hui Chen1, Kar-Lok Wong, Ja-Ping Shieh
1Department of Anesthesia, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
Objectives:
Laryngoscope blades are in close contact with mucous membranes and can possibly contaminated with virulent or readily transmissible organisms. As laryngoscopy is often required during endotracheal intubation, proper cleaning and sterilization of the laryngoscope blade is crucial to prevent cross-contamination among patients.
Methods:
We tested the effectiveness of latex condom using as a laryngoscope blade cover during endotracheal intubation. Both control (no condom) and study group blades were rinsed with sterile saline after intubation. The rinse was sent for bacteria culture, and appearance of bacterial colonization was counted as positive. A water leak test (WLT) was performed on used condoms to verify their integrity.
Results:
There were total 162 laryngoscopes studied with 83 (51.2%) scopes in the study group and 79 (48.8%) in the control group. Rate of positive bacterial culture were 13.3% and 88.6% in the study and control group, respectively. Although WLT (+) rate of 41% was found in the study group, a high negative culture rate (71.6%) was also noted among the WLT (+) group.
Conclusions:
Condom when using as a blade cover during laryngoscopy is a simple, inexpansive and effective way in reducing cross contamination among patients.
Insights
Using latex condoms as a laryngoscope blade cover significantly reduces bacterial contamination during endotracheal intubation. This simple method is effective in preventing cross-contamination between patients.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Medical Device Safety
- Microbiology
Background:
- Laryngoscope blades contact mucous membranes, posing a risk of transmitting virulent organisms.
- Proper sterilization of laryngoscope blades is essential to prevent patient cross-contamination during endotracheal intubation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of latex condoms as a barrier against microbial contamination on laryngoscope blades.
- To assess the potential of condoms in reducing cross-contamination during laryngoscopy.
Main Methods:
- A study compared bacterial contamination rates on laryngoscope blades with and without latex condom covers after endotracheal intubation.
- Bacterial cultures of saline rinses from blades were analyzed.
- Water leak tests (WLT) assessed the integrity of used condoms.
Main Results:
- Bacterial culture positivity was significantly lower in the condom-covered group (13.3%) compared to the control group (88.6%).
- Despite a 41% water leak test positive rate in the condom group, a substantial negative culture rate (71.6%) was observed even in these cases.
Conclusions:
- Latex condoms serve as a simple, inexpensive, and effective barrier to reduce microbial cross-contamination during laryngoscopy.
- Condom use represents a practical strategy for enhancing patient safety in procedures involving laryngoscopy.
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