Can Anesthesia Providers Spread Infection?
Absolutely yes — pay attention to what goes on at the head of the table.
M
any have long suspected that anesthesia providers play a
significant role in the transmission of potentially pathogen-
ic organisms during surgery. Now we know for sure.
A study published recently in the Journal of the American Society of
Anesthesiologists (osmag.net/kdw5mn) has essentially caught us in the
act, underscoring both the challenges and the importance anesthesia
providers face in striving for aseptic technique and preventing infec-
tions.
The researchers devised a clever way to measure how common the
problem is. They had 23 anesthesiologists inject all bolus drugs used
in 303 cases — except propofol and antibiotics — through a 0.2-
micron filter designed to trap microorganisms. What they found was
1 2 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U N E 2 0 1 6
Infection Prevention
Chuck Biddle, CRNA, PhD
• OVERWHELMED? It may be impossible for multi-tasking anesthesia providers to maintain total sterility, but increased awareness is a step in the right direction.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
