Bacterial Contamination in Tips of Electrocautery Devices During Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Surgical equipment can become contaminated during surgery. It is unknown if electrocautery tips can become contaminated in clean orthopedic procedures despite the produced heat. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to address this concern. The tips from 25 primary and 25 aseptic revi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of arthroplasty 2015-08, Vol.30 (8), p.1410-1413
Main Authors: Shahi, Alisina, MD, Chen, Antonia F., MD, MBA, McKenna, Paul B., MD, Roberts, Amity L., PhD, D(ABMM), Manrique, Jorge, MD, Belden, Katherine A., MD, Austin, Matthew S., MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - instrumentation
Bacteriological Techniques
bovie
contamination
electrocautery
Electrocoagulation - instrumentation
Environment, Controlled
Equipment Contamination
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Operating Rooms
Orthopedics
Prospective Studies
Prosthesis-Related Infections - microbiology
Reoperation
Surgical Wound Infection - microbiology
total hip replacement
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Summary:Abstract Surgical equipment can become contaminated during surgery. It is unknown if electrocautery tips can become contaminated in clean orthopedic procedures despite the produced heat. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to address this concern. The tips from 25 primary and 25 aseptic revision THAs were collected and an additional 5 sterile tips served as negative controls. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were incubated for a minimum of 3 days. There were 3 positive cultures (6%); one in primary THA (4%) with Lactobacillus and Enterococcus faecalis ; two among revisions (8%), one with E. faecalis and another one with alpha hemolytic streptococci and coagulase negative Staphylococcus . The mean exposure time of the contaminated tips was 132.3 minutes. Patients were followed for 90 days postoperatively and none of them developed surgical site infection. This is the first study to demonstrate that electrosurgical devices can become contaminated during THA in laminar flow equipped operating rooms.
ISSN:0883-5403
1532-8406
DOI:10.1016/j.arth.2015.03.011