RISK OF CONTAMINATION OF THE WOUND IN A HYDROTHERAPEUTIC TANK

Over a 4-week period, samples for culture were taken from active hydro therapeutic tanks (whirlpools) from two institutions in a university m edical center. Samples were obtained in the morning before treatments began, and in the evening after, the final patient had been treated. S pecific attention was directed toward recovery of S. aureus, P. aerugi nosa, and E. coli, organisms felt to be especially dangerous for the d iabetic dysvascular patients utilizing the hydrotherapeutic tanks invo lved in this study. Only eleven of 96 cultures (11.5%) were positive f or these prospective pathogens. Of the positive cultures, nine (9.4%) were taken from near the agitator-jet, and only two (2.1%) from the fl oor of the hydrotherapeutic tanks, where the extremity is likely to be placed. Our results reveal that hydrotherapeutic immersion is not lik ely to expose patients with open wounds to potential iatrogenic contam ination of the wound.