Vaginal ultrasound probe cover leakage: implications for patient care.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of probe contamination following transvaginal ultrasonography.
DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.
SETTING: University Infertility Center. PATIENT(S): Women undergoing transvaginal ultrasonography. INTERVENTION(S): One physician obtained 840 consecutive transvaginal ultrasonograms over nine months. Latex condoms were used to cover the probe. Following examination, the condoms were removed and the probe was wiped with a germicidal disposable cloth and left to air dry for 5 minutes. Condoms were filled with water and examined for leaks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of perforations and distance from condom tip. RESULT(S): Seventeen (2%) of 840 condoms leaked. The mean distance from the tip to the point of leakage was 10.6 cm +/- 2.8 (mean +/- SD; range, 7-14). Sixty-five percent of the leaks were < or = 10 cm from the tip. In several instances, two leaking condoms were found within a few examinations of each other. No visual contamination of the probe was noted. CONCLUSION(S): Although only 2% of condoms leaked, 65% were at distances that could have led to probe soiling intravaginally. While no body fluids were grossly visible, microscopic contamination was still possible. Since perforations were noted in close, and even consecutive scans, this study underscores the need for routine probe disinfection between examinations.