Multicenter study of contaminated percutaneous injuries in anesthesia personnel

Background: Anesthesia personnel are at risk for occupational infection wit h bloodborne pathogens from contaminated percutaneous injuries (CPIs). Addi tional information is needed to formulate methods to reduce risk. Methods: The authors analyzed CPIs collected during a 2-yr period at 11 hos pitals, assessed CPI underreporting. and estimated risks of infection with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus. Results: Data regarding 138 CPIs were collected: 74% were associated with b lood-contaminated hollow-bore needles, 74% were potentially preventable, 30 % were considered high-risk injuries from devices used for intravascular ca theter insertion or obtaining blood, and 45% were reported to hospital heal th services. Corrected for injury underreporting, the CPI rate was 0.27 CPI s per yr per person; per full-time equivalent worker, there were 0.42 CPIs/ yr, The estimated average 30-yr risks of human immunodeficiency virus or he patitis C virus infection per full-time equivalent are 0.049% and 0.45%, re spectively. Projecting these findings to all anesthesia personnel in the Un ited States, the authors estimate that there will he 17 human immunodeficie ncy virus infections and 155 hepatitis C virus infections in 30 yr. Conclusions: Performance of anesthesia tasks is associated with CPIs from b lood-contaminated hollow-bore needles. Thirty percent of all CPIs would hav e been high-risk for bloodborne pathogen transmission if the source patient s were infected, Most CPIs were potentially preventable, and fen er than ha lf were reported to hospital health services. The results identify devices and mechanisms responsible for CPIs, provide estimates of risk levels, and permit formulation of strategies to reduce risks.