Does modern space suit reduce intraoperative contamination in total joint replacement? An experimental study

Area of Science:

• Surgical infection prevention
• Operating room contamination control
• Orthopedic surgery safety

Background:

• Intraoperative contamination poses a risk in total joint replacement surgeries.
• Surgical attire and surgeon movement are potential sources of airborne particles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the risk of intraoperative contamination from clothing systems and surgeon motion.
• To compare particle shedding between standard surgical gowns (SG) and modern "space suits" (SS).

Main Methods:

• Airborne particle concentrations (≥0.5 μm) were measured around a surgeon.
• Measurements were taken near the wrist, feet, and operative field.
• Conditions included standard surgical gowns (SG) vs. "space suits" (SS), with and without surgeon motion (stepping).

Main Results:

• Particle counts near the wrist and chest were not significantly different between SG and SS.
• Particle counts near the feet were 154 times higher with SS compared to SG.
• Surgeon motion (stepping) increased particle counts near the chest 31-fold with SS and 10-fold with SG.

Conclusions:

• Intraoperative surgeon motion significantly increases airborne particle concentration in the operative field.
• The "space suit" (SS) may pose a higher contamination risk due to its cooling fan system.
• Minimizing surgeon movement is crucial for reducing intraoperative contamination.