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Effect of desquamation of facial skin during surgery

W R Hodge1, M Trepal, W H Woolf

  • 1Department of Microbiology, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, NY 10035.

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
|February 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Operating room personnel carry facial skin flora that can contaminate surgical sites. Despite aseptic measures, about 20% of patients experience contamination from personnel

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Surgical Infection Prevention

Background:

  • Maintaining aseptic conditions in operating rooms is crucial for preventing surgical site infections.
  • Facial skin flora of operating room personnel represents a potential source of microbial contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of facial skin microorganisms among operating room staff.
  • To determine the association between facial skin flora and microbial contamination near the surgical site.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of facial skin flora from operating room personnel.
  • Microbial analysis to identify organisms present.
  • Comparison of identified flora with environmental samples from the surgical area.

Main Results:

  • Operating room personnel harbor significant populations of microorganisms on exposed facial skin.
  • Identical organisms found on personnel's faces were detected on the operating room table adjacent to the surgical site in approximately 20% of cases.

Conclusions:

  • Facial skin flora of operating room personnel can contribute to surgical site contamination.
  • Enhanced strategies for aseptic control targeting personnel's exposed areas may be necessary to reduce infection risk.

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