Reusable venesection tourniquets potential source of organisms

January 01, 0001

Reusable venesection tourniquets potential source of organisms

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of multiresistant organism (MRO) colonisation of reusable venesection tourniquets. It consisted of a prospective study in a tertiary hospital to collect and analyse reusable venesection tourniquets for the presence of MROs — methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and extended-spectrum â-lactamase and metallo-â-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae — using a sensitive enrichment method. Tourniquets were collected and tested during a 10-week period between September and November 2010.

The overall colonisation rate of 100 tourniquets randomly collected from general wards, ambulatory care areas and critical care areas was 78%. MROs were isolated from 25 tourniquets collected from a variety of hospital locations, including general wards, the intensive care unit, burns unit and anaesthetic bay. MRSA was isolated from 14 tourniquets and VRE from 19; both MRSA and VRE were isolated from nine tourniquets. There were no microorganisms isolated from 22 tourniquets.

The researchers concluded: "Reusable tourniquets can be colonised with MROs and may be a potential source of transmission of MROs to hospitalised patients."

The transmission of organisms is best correlated with the spread of infections, but it is not done here.

For the full abstract, click here.

MJA 195(5):276-279, 5 September 2011 © The Medical Journal of Australia 2011
Reusable venesection tourniquets: a potential source of hospital transmission of multiresistant organisms. Angie N Pinto, Thuy Phan, Gabriela Sala, Elaine Y L Cheong, Steven Siarakas and Thomas Gottlieb. Correspondence to Angie Pinto: [email protected]

Category: HSR. Health Services Research. Keywords: venesection, tourniquets, transmission, multiresistant organism, prospective study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 23 September 2011

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