Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2003  |  Volume : 51  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 171--176

Microbiological evaluation of various parameters in ophthalmic operating rooms. The need to establish guidelines.


U Kelkar, S Kelkar, Abhijit M Bal, S Kulkarni, S Kulkarni 
 Microtech Diagnostics, Pune, India

Correspondence Address:
U Kelkar
Microtech Diagnostics, Pune
India

Purpose: Postoperative infections can be caused by a contaminated environment, unsterile equipment, contaminated surfaces, and infected personnel as well as contaminated disinfectants. In order to establish guidelines for microbiological monitoring, a detailed microbiological surveillance was carried out in an ophthalmic hospital. Method: Over a period of 21 months, we assessed environmental Bacteria Carrying Particle (BCP) load and surface samples weekly (n=276); the autoclaving system once a month and repeated whenever the process failed (n= 24); the air conditioning filters for fungal growth once in four months (n = 15), and the disinfectant solution for contamination once in two months (n = 10). Additionally, the personnel involved directly in surgery were screened for potential pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and β haemolytic streptococci. Result: On 14 (5.07%) occasions the environment in the operating rooms had a significant risk of airborne infections. Sterilisation of instruments in the autoclaves was unsatisfactory on 4 (16.66 %) occasions. Samples from the filters of the air-conditioning units yielded potentially pathogenic fungi on 3 (20%) occasions. Personnel sampling revealed that 5 (8.77%) individuals harboured β haemolytic Streptococci in the throat and 4 (7.01 %) harboured S. aureus in the nasal cavity. The samples of disinfectant in use were not contaminated. Conclusion: There is a need to standardise microbiological evaluation protocols for operating rooms.


How to cite this article:
Kelkar U, Kelkar S, Bal AM, Kulkarni S, Kulkarni S. Microbiological evaluation of various parameters in ophthalmic operating rooms. The need to establish guidelines. Indian J Ophthalmol 2003;51:171-176


How to cite this URL:
Kelkar U, Kelkar S, Bal AM, Kulkarni S, Kulkarni S. Microbiological evaluation of various parameters in ophthalmic operating rooms. The need to establish guidelines. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 2003 [cited 2024 Mar 29 ];51:171-176
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2003;volume=51;issue=2;spage=171;epage=176;aulast=Kelkar;type=0