Lancets as a source of sharps injuries.
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To investigate the orbital depth in human skulls in relation to retrobulbar anesthesia, we measured the distance between the lateral margin of the optic foramen and the border of the medium and outer third of the inferior orbital rim (retrobulbar needle pathway) in 50 skulls (25 males and 25 females). This distance varied from 4.4 to 5.7 cm in males (mean 5.024, SD 0.272) and from 4.5 to 5.5 cm in females (mean 4.9, SD 0.204). There was no real difference between males and females (p>0.05). For the total of 50 skulls the mean distance was 4.962 cm (SD 0.246). Shallow and deep orbits exist in both males and females but individuals with shallow orbits are obviously more susceptible to optic nerve injury by the retrobulbar needle.
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This paper reviews the frequency of inoculation injuries, which occurred in hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago from 1991 to 1997, inclusive. A total of 397 cases of inoculation injuries were detected. Significantly more of these injuries occurred during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (231, or 58.2%; G = 41.2, df 9, p < 0.001) than during disposal of needles and other sharps (136, or 34.3%), certain situations remote from patient care (21, or 5.2%), and 'rogue incidents' related to unsafe disposal with later injury to janitors or others (9, or 2.3%). No statistically significant monthly or seasonal variations occurred in the incidence of reported inoculation injuries. The two institutions that saw the largest number of patients, the Port-of-Spain General and San Fernando General Hospitals, accounted for the largest number of cases of inoculation injury, with 139 (35.0%) and 135 (34.0%), respectively. Interestingly enough, there were 42 reported inoculation incidents at the St. Ann's Hospital for the Mentally Impaired and 23 (52.5%) of these were bites, most of them occurring during attempted procedures. Nurses were the main recipients of inoculation injuries (287 cases, or > 72%), followed by doctors (9.3%), and ward maids (6.2%). The main modes of inoculation were needle sticks (305, or 76.8%). Bites (34, 8.6%), injuries with sharps other than needles (29, or 7.3%), and splashes (29, or 7.3%) were the other types seen. One recipient was found to be infected with HIV following accidental inoculation. The infection control methodologies used in hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago are reviewed and recommendations for preventing injuries are outlined.
Good sharps disposal practice is essential to prevent accidental inoculation with blood or body fluids. Many sharps injuries occur during disposal or because of over-filling of disposal systems. All sharps injuries should be reported to the occupational health department.
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We have studied the immediate and long term (up to 28 days) effects of short and long bevelled needle impalement of the rat sciatic nerve. Three techniques were used to assess neural trauma and its consequences: stained longitudinal nerve sections were assessed by light microscopy and scored for injury; the extravasation of Evan's Blue dye, after antidromic electrical nerve stimulation, was used as a test of unmyelinated fibre function; the flexion withdrawal times from a noxious stimulus were measured. The results of all three experiments suggested that, should a nerve fascicle become accidentally impaled during regional anaesthesia, the lesions induced by short bevelled needles are more severe, more frequent and take longer to repair than those induced by long bevelled needles. Nerve injury induced by short bevelled needles was associated with persisting signs of injury 28 days after the injury. These results suggest that the current practice of using short bevelled needles to prevent nerve injury complicating regional anaesthesia be reassessed.
This report describes four skin-puncture accidents with needles that were heavily contaminated with Cryptococcus neoformans. In one accident, delayed administration of antifungal drugs resulted in a granuloma of the finger. In the other three accidents, no skin infection followed immediate prophylaxis with oral fluconazole. Our experience suggests that early therapy with fluconazole is a reasonable means of managing skin injuries caused by instruments contaminated with viable C. neoformans.
A prospective evaluation was performed to assess the efficacy and ease of use of a novel self-sheathing intravenous cannula with needle protection device (Safelon). Use of the device did not require significant change to the normal cannulation technique. Blood splashes during insertion and the risk of needle-stick injury were reduced.
In the United Kingdom (UK) there is inequity in health care workers access to safer sharps and needle free systems. The availability of safer sharps and needle free systems is dependent on the budget manager authorising the purchase of these devices within individual hospitals. This can mean that within the same organisation one department can be using safer sharps and needle free systems, while another department is denied access to such equipment. This is partly due to competing priorities for scarce health care resources, which is becoming more acute, and lack of national guidance to employers to provide such safety equipment for their employees. At the current time the UK does not have a mandatory reporting system for sharps injuries, so the true extend of the problem is not fully understood.
Sharps injuries are the primary route through which health care workers acquire blood-borne diseases occupationally (Lynch et al, 1992). In order to reduce the incidence of such injuries effectively within a hospital, it is vital to first ascertain the frequency and types of injuries and then implement a risk-reduction programme based on the specific problems identified.
With the increasing incidence of hepatitis B and HIV, and the increasing awareness of the risk and prevalence of hepatitis C, it is becoming even more necessary to adopt stricter policies to safeguard personnel and to reduce the risk of transmission. Previous studies have shown a need for eye protection, protective clothing and the use of double-gloving during operative or interventional procedures. The risk of infection is much less with unbroken skin and conversely more likely when hollow needles are used. Arguments against the routine use of double-gloving include the loss of dexterity and the discomfort incurred, and the potential loss of dexterity that might theoretically result in more rather than fewer needle-stick injuries.
A 14-page comprehensive survey was mailed to all 565 United States members of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians to identify the frequency of physical injuries, radiation exposures, chemical exposures, allergic or irritant reactions, infections, and use of preventive measures, and 315 (55.8%) veterinarians responded. Significant findings include major animal-related injury (61.5%), back injury (55%), necropsy injury (44.1%), adverse formalin exposure (40.2%), animal allergy (32.2%), zoonotic infection (30.2%), and insect allergy (14.2%). We also found that gender, length of experience, and practice type affected the number and type of incidents encountered in practice. Females reported a higher rate of zoonotic infection, insect allergy, and adverse exposure to anesthetic gas, formalin, and disinfectants/sterilants. Zoo veterinarians with more years of experience were more likely to receive major animal-related injury and associated hospitalization, back injury, and lost work time associated with back injury. Full-time zoo veterinarians were more likely to report back injury and inadequate knowledge of occupational hazards. Results are compared with hazards reported by veterinarians working in other fields. The frequency of injuries reported demonstrates a greater need for comprehensive health and safety programs for zoo veterinarians.
A multicentric prospective trial was conducted to evaluate the frequency and kind of blood exposure in operating room. From march to june 1992, 3554 procedures were observed in 22 surgical units (visceral, orthopaedic and vascular), with 129 surgeons, 133 residents and 216 nurses. Statistic analysis was done on Epi Info 5 (CDC Atlanta) and EGRET (Statistic and Epidemiology Research Corporation, Seattle). 11.7% of procedures were the case for an incidental blood exposure: 4.2% for percutaneous exposure; 8.4% for cutaneous or mucosal exposure. Rates change with the surgical specialty. Surgeons were involved in 50.7% of percutaneous exposure and 58.7% of the cutaneous or mucosal exposures, especially when they were operators (respectively 2 and 5.6% person-act). A significative rate was founded between incidental blood exposure and the length of procedure, the sepsis character of the procedure, but not with emergency or number of globular units transfused. To diminish the incidental blood exposure and its risks, this data suggests three kinds of practice: a better work for vaccination; in our study 59% of surgeons declare an adequate vaccination against hepatitis B; a best operative hygiene, with knowing of risks factor of blood exposure, depending of the kind of procedure, changing between different units; the use of protections: non coated dressing, double gloving, ocular protection.
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