EFFICACY OF THE STERI-SHIELD FILTERED EXHAUST HELMET IN LIMITING BACTERIAL COUNTS IN THE OPERATING-ROOM DURING TOTAL JOINT ARTHROPLASTY

Filtered exhaust helmets (space suits) have been reported as efficacio us in decreasing wound infections following joint arthroplasty procedu res; however, strict experimental control of the many variables relate d to the incidence of clinical infection has been lacking in these stu dies, making support of such conclusions difficult. Any potential bene fit of filtered exhaust helmets in the control of infection rates can be logically assigned to the reduction of airborne bacterial counts wi thin the operating room. A study was done using the Steri-Shield helme t (Bio-Medical Devices, Irvine, CA) to define its efficacy in limiting airborne bacterial contaminates during total joint arthroplasty. Fort y-eight paired prosthetic hip and knee cases were evaluated using a bl ock experimentation design. One case of each pair was done with all su rgical and scrub personnel cloaked in Steri-Shield filtered exhaust he lmets and the other with the same personnel in conventional paper hood s and masks. Air samples were obtained with an Anderson two-stage viab le particle sampler (Anderson Samplers, Atlanta, GA) placed immediatel y adjacent to the wound. Quantitative microbial cultures were obtained . The filtered exhaust helmet evaluated in this study provided no incr eased protection against bacterial contamination in the area of the su rgical field than conventional paper hoods and masks.