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Related Experiment Videos

Microbial flora on operating room telephones.

Jason Nelson1, Ava Bivens, Antoinette Shinn

  • 1Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

AORN Journal
|April 4, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant concern. This study found that operating room telephones can harbor bacteria, potentially contributing to the spread of SSIs.

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Area of Science:

  • Infection Control
  • Microbiology
  • Surgical Safety

Background:

  • Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a substantial burden, with approximately 500,000 cases annually in the US.
  • Identifying sources of bacterial contamination in operating rooms (ORs) is crucial for preventing SSIs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of bacteria commonly implicated in SSIs on telephones within the OR environment.
  • To assess whether OR telephones act as reservoirs for pathogens contributing to surgical infections.

Main Methods:

  • Cultures were obtained from telephones located in 14 ORs and two substerile rooms at a major teaching hospital.
  • Standard microbiological laboratory procedures were employed for bacterial identification.

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Main Results:

  • Coagulase-negative staphylococci, a frequent cause of SSIs, were identified in the collected cultures.
  • The findings indicate bacterial presence on OR telephones.

Conclusions:

  • Operating room telephones can serve as potential reservoirs for bacteria associated with surgical site infections.
  • This highlights a previously overlooked source of contamination that may impact patient safety.