Why the study?
What is the risk of exposure to patients' blood during surgery, and what factors predict it?
Population
1307 consecutive surgical procedures at San Francisco General Hospital
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
2 months
Authors
Loading...
Reinforces need for barrier precautions in surgery; leaves open which interventions most effectively reduce exposure.
What is the risk of exposure to patients' blood during surgery, and what factors predict it?
Surgical personnel face a 6.4% risk of accidental blood exposure during procedures, supporting the use of double gloving and protective garments rather than preoperative HIV testing.
Gerberding et al. (1990) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: