2019 Volume 34 Issue 2 Pages 88-94
Background: Bacterial contamination of surgical instruments has been suggested to increase the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). In addition, since there are many opportunities to use electric scalpels, there is a high possibility of bacterial contamination compared with other surgical instruments.
Methods: We examined electric scalpels used in surgical operations for bacterial contamination. Target surgeries included hepatectomy (BILI-O), pancreatic surgery (BILI-PD), colon surgery (COLO), and rectal surgery (REC). Bacterial isolates were identified biochemically or by mass spectrometry.
Results: We isolated 147 colonies from electric scalpels used in 30 of 31 (96.8%) intestinal surgeries. Bacteria considered to originate from the skin, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus [45 (30.6%) and 6 (4.1%) isolates, respectively], and from the intestinal tract, such as Bacillus spp., Enterococcus spp., and Escherichia coli [23 (15.6%), 20 (13.6%), and 5 (3.4%) isolates, respectively], were isolated. In 4 of 31 cases (12.9%), incisional SSI occurred, and in 3 cases (75%) the bacteria detected from the electric scalpels and the causative bacteria of the incisional SSI were consistent. The causative bacteria were Enterococcus faecalis, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and others.
Conclusions: Electric scalpels were contaminated not only with skin-derived bacteria but also with intestine-derived bacteria. Some instruments were heavily contaminated, and their use for wound closure might also contaminate the surgical site, thereby increasing the probability of incisional SSI.
