Effect of fenestrated sterile drape and face mask on bacterial dispersion toward the periocular area during intravitreal injection
1
Issued Date
2023-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20452322
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85162153682
Journal Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
13
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Scientific Reports Vol.13 No.1 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Phasukkijwatana N., Jongpipatchai R., Phuksapaisalsilp P., Pharkjaksu S., Ngamskulrungroj P., Prakhunhungsit S. Effect of fenestrated sterile drape and face mask on bacterial dispersion toward the periocular area during intravitreal injection. Scientific Reports Vol.13 No.1 (2023). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37091-3 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/87715
Title
Effect of fenestrated sterile drape and face mask on bacterial dispersion toward the periocular area during intravitreal injection
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
This experimental crossover study was performed to investigate whether fenestrated surgical drapes (covering the nose and mouth but with an opening over the periorbital area) with or without patients’ surgical face masks increase periorbital bacterial dispersion during simulated intravitreal injection conditions. Each of the 16 healthy volunteers performed 14 scenarios involving different mask and drape conditions in both silent and speaking situations. In each scenario, the subject lay down flat on the back with a blood agar plate being held at the inferior orbital rim perpendicular to the face to capture airflow from breathing/speaking. Another blood agar plate placed 50 cm away from the subject served as an experimental control. A total of 224 experiments were performed. Speaking situations significantly showed more colony forming units (CFUs) compared with their controls (P = 0.014). There were no significant differences in CFUs between wearing vs not wearing the masks (P = 0.887 for speaking and P = 0.219 for silent) and using vs not using the drapes (P = 0.941 for speaking and P = 0.687 for silent). Reusable and disposable drapes were also not significantly different (P = 1.00 for speaking and P = 0.625 for silent). Streptococcus spp., the oropharyngeal microbiota, were only cultivated from speaking scenarios. While refraining from speaking (for both practitioners and patients) is the mainstay of reducing bacterial dispersion and risks of post-injection endophthalmitis, the use of fenestrated surgical drapes or patients’ face masks did not significantly affect the amount of bacterial dispersion toward the periorbital area.