Chemical Disinfection of an Accidentally Contaminated and Irreplaceable Inorganic Element During Orthopaedic Surgery...

Area of Science:

• Surgical Safety and Sterilization
• Infection Control in Healthcare Settings
• Biomedical Materials Science

Background:

• Accidental contamination of surgical instruments or implants poses a significant risk during operations.
• Resterilization is often impractical and time-consuming, increasing surgery duration and postoperative complications.
• A rapid, safe, and effective method for managing intraoperative contamination is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of chemical disinfection for intraoperative contamination of surgical materials.
• To determine the effectiveness of alcohol-based disinfectants in eliminating bacterial contamination.
• To provide a practical solution for managing accidental contamination of critical surgical items.

Main Methods:

• Three material types (cobalt-chromium, titanium, polyethylene) were contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis.
• Disinfection was performed using 2% chlorhexidine in 70% isopropanol, 0.9% povidone-iodine in 46% isopropanol, or 70% ethanol.
• A second phase involved dropping discs on the operating room floor for 30 seconds before disinfection.

Main Results:

• All tested alcohol-based disinfection procedures demonstrated high efficacy, resulting in no bacterial growth.
• Disinfection was significantly more effective than the control group (p < 0.01).
• Part 2 confirmed disinfection effectiveness even after brief floor contamination, with minimal bacterial presence.

Conclusions:

• A 2-minute disinfection with an alcohol-based solution is a safe, simple, and quick option for intraoperative contamination of essential surgical elements.
• This method is recommended for irreplaceable inorganic elements in orthopaedic surgery, followed by saline rinsing.
• Effective management of accidental contamination enhances surgical safety and reduces infection risk.