Journal
ANNALS OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND
Volume 90, Issue 1, Pages 22-24Publisher
ROYAL COLL SURGEONS ENGLAND
DOI: 10.1308/003588408X242277
Keywords
surgical hand disinfection; water use; alcohol hand rub
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INTRODUCTION There is a growing trend to use alcohol-based hand disinfectants in clinical practice. In addition to their antibacterial efficacy, these disinfectants offer an alternative to traditional surgical hand disinfection agents that can save water in the operating theatre. MATERIALS AND METHODS The amounts of water and soap used during traditional surgical hand disinfection with antiseptic soap preparations were measured and water usage over a 1-year period was estimated. Costs of traditional disinfection agents were compared with alcohol-based agents. RESULTS One surgical hand disinfection episode with traditional agents used 18.51 of water. During 15,500 procedures performed at our institution over a 1-year period, 931,938 1 of water were used which could have been saved had alcohol-based agents been used. Cost per episode of hand disinfection depends on the amounts used and is not higher compared to traditional agents. CONCLUSIONS The benefits of using an alcohol-based surgical hand disinfectant may include significant water savings, in addition to previously published advantages of improved efficacy. When deciding on the method of surgical hand disinfection, careful thought should be given to the use of water as a resource. Surgeons should be aware of the environmental impact of their profession.
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