CDC and AAO offer guidance on safe surgery

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all health care workers should routinely use appropriate barrier precautions to prevent skin and mucous membrane exposure when contact with blood or other body fluids is anticipated. 2. Although HIV may be found in the tears, conjunctiva, cornea, and contact lenses of infected patients, research suggests that extremely low levels are present. 3. When operating on known HIV-positive patients, surgeons often observe additional safeguards beyond the universal precautions. The "hands-free technique" of instrument transfer from the surgeon to the scrub nurse, or from the scrub nurse to the surgeon can be extremely important.