Rishi R Doshi1, Theodore Leng, Anne E Fung. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94115, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To provide experimental evidence to support or refute the proposition that the use of surgical face masks and/or avoidance of talking can decrease the dispersion of respiratory flora during an intravitreal injection. METHODS: Ten surgeons recited a 30-second standardized script with blood agar plates positioned 30 cm below their mouths. The plates were divided into 4 groups, with 10 plates per group. In Group 1, participants did not wear a face mask. In Group 2, participants wore a standard surgical mask. In Group 3, no mask was worn, but plates were pretreated with 5% povidone-iodine. In Group 4, no mask was worn, and participants remained silent for 30 seconds. The plates were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) was determined. RESULTS: Mean bacterial growth were as follows: Group 1, 8.6 CFUs per subject; Group 2, 1.1 CFUs per subject; Group 3, 0.1 CFUs per subject; and Group 4, 2.4 CFUs per subject. Differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), with the exception of Group 2 versus Group 4 (P = 0.115). CONCLUSION: The use of a face mask and avoidance of talking each significantly decreased the dispersion of bacteria. Even without these interventions, plates pretreated with povidone-iodine demonstrated the least bacterial growth.
PURPOSE: To provide experimental evidence to support or refute the proposition that the use of surgical face masks and/or avoidance of talking can decrease the dispersion of respiratory flora during an intravitreal injection. METHODS: Ten surgeons recited a 30-second standardized script with blood agar plates positioned 30 cm below their mouths. The plates were divided into 4 groups, with 10 plates per group. In Group 1, participants did not wear a face mask. In Group 2, participants wore a standard surgical mask. In Group 3, no mask was worn, but plates were pretreated with 5% povidone-iodine. In Group 4, no mask was worn, and participants remained silent for 30 seconds. The plates were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) was determined. RESULTS: Mean bacterial growth were as follows: Group 1, 8.6 CFUs per subject; Group 2, 1.1 CFUs per subject; Group 3, 0.1 CFUs per subject; and Group 4, 2.4 CFUs per subject. Differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), with the exception of Group 2 versus Group 4 (P = 0.115). CONCLUSION: The use of a face mask and avoidance of talking each significantly decreased the dispersion of bacteria. Even without these interventions, plates pretreated with povidone-iodine demonstrated the least bacterial growth.
Authors: Joseph M Simonett; Austin Igelman; Stanford C Taylor; J Peter Campbell; Thomas S Hwang; Phoebe Lin; Andreas K Lauer; Christina J Flaxel Journal: Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina Date: 2019-01-01 Impact factor: 1.300
Authors: Christian I Wade; Todd D Whitescarver; Cody R Ashcroft; Samuel D Hobbs; Boonkit Purt; Ashvini K Reddy; Marcus H Colyer; Grant A Justin Journal: Int Ophthalmol Date: 2021-07-27 Impact factor: 2.031