Self-contamination following removal of two personal protective equipment suits: a randomized, controlled, crossover simulation trial.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare personnel are often at high risk of contamination when participating in airway management and other aerosol-generating procedures. AIM: To explore the differences in self-contamination after removal of gown and coverall personal protective equipment (PPE) using an ultraviolet-fluorescent solution. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, controlled crossover trial was set in a third-level university health centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina between August and October 2020. The study included 60 anaesthesia personnel volunteers, and no participants were excluded from the study. A two-period/two-intervention design was chosen; each intervention comprised audio-guided placement of PPE, full-body spraying of fluorescent solution, audio-guided removal of PPE, and self-contamination assessment through ultraviolet light scanning. The primary outcome was the mean within-participant difference (any traces) between PPE suits. Statistical significance was tested using t-tests for paired data. The allocation ratio was 25/35 (gown followed by coverall/coverall followed by gown). FINDINGS: Self-contamination after removal of coveralls was greater than that after removal of gowns, with a mean within-participant difference of 11.45 traces (95% confidence interval 8.26-14.635; P<0.001). Significant differences were found for the number of self-contaminated body zones, small fluorescent traces and large fluorescent traces. Removal of a gown was associated with a markedly lower risk of self-contamination. CONCLUSIONS: Quick one-step removal of a gown and gloves may reduce self-contamination in the arm/hand area. Fluorescent solutions can help to identify self-contamination and compare outcomes between available PPE suits. Repeated training sessions and enhanced knowledge on self-contamination following removal of PPE are paramount. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04763304 (on ClinicalTrials.gov).

Nausea and vomiting in a colorectal ERAS program: Impact on nutritional recovery and the length of hospital stay.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and its impact on the hospital length of stay (LOS), have been extensively studied. However, most previous publications focused their studies on PONV during the first 24 h, and less is known about this complication during the ensuing days, its impact on nutritional recovery or its relation to other complications and the course of care. METHODS: An observational study involving 806 consecutive patients in a colorectal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme was performed. The primary objective was to analyse the incidence of early PONV on the day of surgery and the following 2 postoperative days (late PONV). Secondary objectives included evaluation of the influence of late PONV over the LOS and the nutritional recovery adjusted for confounding factors. RESULTS: PONV tended to increase over time (7% vs 7% and 10%, postop days 0, 1 and 2, respectively; p < 0.05). PONV on day 2 was associated in an adjusted analysis with poor oral intake, delayed solid food tolerance and an average increase in LOS of 2 nights. Risk factors for the presence of PONV on day 2 were the use of opioids on the same day, PONV on the day of the surgery and rectal procedures. CONCLUSIONS: PONV continues to be frequent after the first 24 h in colorectal surgery despite high compliance to current anti emetic recommendations. PONV during day 2 negatively affects the nutritional postoperative recovery and independently prolongs the hospital stay. The findings of the current study highlight the adverse effects of opioids and the need of further discussion on how to best audit, prevent and treat late PONV in ERAS colorectal programmes.