A risk assessment of multiple use of an aerosol system compared with single use for lung ventilation scans

Over 300 99Tc(m)-DTPA aerosol lung ventilation scans are performed at Leicester Royal Infirmary each year. Current practice is to re-use the nebulizer circuits up to five times over a maximum of 1 week. Following a visit from the hospital infection control team, this practice was questioned and, therefore, a risk assessment was carried out. This compared the risks of multiple use of ventilation circuits with single use. A survey was also carried out to try and establish current practice in other departments. The risk assesment showed that both single and multiple use of nebulizer circuits can have a high risk. The risks associated with the former were radiation safety and/or financial, and the risk with the latter was cross-infection. The survey showed that multiple use is certainly common practice within the UK. Therefore, in coming to a decision on which practice to adopt, these risks must be considered most carefully in the context of the local environment.