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BACTERIAL COLONIZATION IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGICAL TOURNIQUETS: A MULTICENTER STUDY
Eduardo Frois Temponi1, Luiz Lorentz Salzmann Lamego1, Eduardo Louzada da Costa2
1Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Minas Gerais, Hospital Madre Teresa, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Acta Ortopedica Brasileira
|July 23, 2026
Summary
Reusable tourniquets show high contamination rates with significant pathogens, indicating reprocessing failures. This highlights the need for improved disinfection or disposable devices to prevent cross-contamination in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Microbiology
- Healthcare-Associated Infections
Background:
- Reusable medical devices, such as tourniquets, pose a risk for microbial contamination.
- Inadequate reprocessing of medical equipment can lead to the spread of healthcare-associated infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and microbiological profile of contamination on reusable tourniquets in Brazilian hospitals.
- To assess potential differences in contamination rates between public and private healthcare facilities.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter study involving 54 reusable tourniquets from six Brazilian hospitals.
- Microbiological sampling using swabs from a defined area (10 cm²) immediately post-surgery and pre-disinfection.
- Automated methods for microbial identification and quantitative microbial load assessment.
Main Results:
- A high contamination prevalence of 70.4% was observed across the studied tourniquets.
- Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus were the predominant microorganisms identified.
- No statistically significant difference in contamination rates or microbial load was found between public and private hospitals.
Conclusions:
- Reusable tourniquets frequently harbor clinically relevant pathogens, irrespective of hospital type.
- Systemic failures in the reprocessing of reusable tourniquets are suggested.
- Enhanced disinfection protocols or the use of disposable sterile devices are recommended to minimize cross-contamination risks.
