Potential infection risk from thyroid radiation protection

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infection Control
• Surgical Safety

Background:

• Thyroid shields worn for radiation protection in operating rooms can extend above sterile gowns.
• This exposed portion may serve as a reservoir for bacteria, potentially leading to surgical site infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify bacterial species present on the patient-facing side of thyroid shields.
• To assess the efficacy of cleaning interventions in reducing bacterial load on these shields.

Main Methods:

• Thyroid shields were collected from operating room environments.
• Cultures were performed on the side facing the operative field before and after cleaning with a standard disinfectant.
• Bacterial growth was assessed after 72 hours of incubation on nonselective media.

Main Results:

• Eighty-one percent of pre-cleaning thyroid shields yielded bacterial growth, predominantly coagulase-negative staphylococcus (90%).
• Post-cleaning cultures showed a significant 70% reduction in culturable bacterial contamination (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Thyroid shields commonly harbor bacteria, including strains associated with postoperative infections.
• Routine cleaning effectively reduces the bacterial burden on thyroid shields, contributing to enhanced operating room hygiene.