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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Research

The safety of a novel single-drape cover for sterile back tables in the operating room compared to the standard two-drape method: an experimental study

Authors: Mohammadreza Zarei, Saeed Babajani-Vafsi, Mohammad Hassan Kazemi-Galougahi, Ashraf Bakhshi, Neda Mirbagher Ajorpaz, Mahdi Ghorbani

Published in: Patient Safety in Surgery | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

Covering the prepared sterile back tables (PSBTs) during periods of nonuse and during active surgeries may decrease contamination of sterile surgical instruments that have direct contact to surgical wound. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) declared that an easy method for covering and removing the drape will ultimately be most effective (e.g. standard two-drape method). Hence, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that using a novel single-drape cover had more efficiency and safety in decreasing airborne bacteria-carrying particles (ABCPs) settling on the PSBTs during static and dynamic periods than the standard two-drape method.

Methods

This experimental study was conducted with using 918 agar plates to detect contamination of the PSBTs with ABCPs on two conditions (static and dynamic) at an academic medical center in Kashan, Iran, from September 25, 2021, to January 20, 2022. The contamination of PSBTs was evaluated by 6 agar settle plates (n = 918 in total) on each PSBT in static and dynamic operating room (OR) conditions. At each time-point, this set-up was repeated on two occasions else during data collection, establishing 81 PSBTs in total. Tested groups included the PSBTs covered with the standard two-drape method, the novel single-drape cover, or no cover. The plates were collected after 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180, 240 min and 24 h. The primary outcome measured was comparison of mean bioburden of ABCPs settling on covered PSBTs on two conditions by using agar settle plates. The secondary outcomes measured were to determine the role of covering in decreasing contamination of PSBTs and the estimation of time-dependent surgical instrument contamination in the uncovered PSBTs on two conditions by using agar settle plates.

Results

Covering the PSBTs during static and dynamic OR conditions lead to a significantly decreased bioburden of ABCPs on them (P < 0.05). No differences were seen between the standard two-drape method and the novel single-drape cover (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

We found that there is no preference for using the novel single-drape cover than the standard two-drape method. Our results showed a significant decrease in bioburden of ABCPs on the PSBTs when those were covered during static and dynamic OR conditions, indicating the efficiency for covering the PSBTs during periods of nonuse and during active surgery.

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Title: The safety of a novel single-drape cover for sterile back tables in the operating room compared to the standard two-drape method: an experimental study
Authors: Mohammadreza Zarei
Saeed Babajani-Vafsi
Mohammad Hassan Kazemi-Galougahi
Ashraf Bakhshi
Neda Mirbagher Ajorpaz
Mahdi Ghorbani
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Patient Safety in Surgery / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1754-9493
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13037-022-00330-z

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The safety of a novel single-drape cover for sterile back tables in the operating room compared to the standard two-drape method: an experimental study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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