Aerosolized Blood

[toe]

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I have a question regarding blood exposure in the OR. I visited a residency program and had the opportunity to observe a bunionectomy and, for whatever reason, the patient's foot started bleeding immensely. The surgeon continued with the procedure and was making a cut into the 1st met with a bone saw and I noticed that quite a lot of blood became aerosolized.

Does a mask provide adequate protection from exposure to aerosolized blood and why isn't some form of vacuum used when cutting bone?

I'm only in 2nd year so don't know anything yet.

Thanks for your responses!

 

[toe]

I have a question regarding blood exposure in the OR. I visited a residency program and had the opportunity to observe a bunionectomy and, for whatever reason, the patient's foot started bleeding immensely. The surgeon continued with the procedure and was making a cut into the 1st met with a bone saw and I noticed that quite a lot of blood became aerosolized.

Does a mask provide adequate protection from exposure to aerosolized blood and why isn't some form of vacuum used when cutting bone?

I'm only in 2nd year so don't know anything yet.

Thanks for your responses!

Perhaps I could have performed a search prior to my post. If anyone is interested in this issue, a great article was published in JBJS from 2004:

http://www.ejbjs.org/cgi/reprint/86/5/1065

 

[Feli]

You basically answered your own question with good peer reviewed EBM... good work.

My first clerkship last year mandated eye protection for every case no matter what for students, reps, residents, etc (this rule was also for attendings but obviously not enforced on them too much). So, for even a 5th digital AP or percutaneous surgery, you still wore mask with attached eye shield. I got in the habit of that and have done it ever since, and it's never a bad idea. You never know when a small abscess is not so small and the case turns into a wide I&D, or a seemingly healthy upper class elective surg pt has HIV or hep you didn't know about and you hit a bleeder, saw/rasp spatters some blood on your mask, etc. You can never be too safe, and while eye/nose/mouth flush is still helpful, it's a lot better to prevent exposures in the first place.