Aerosols produced by high-speed cutters in cervical spine surgery:: extent of environmental contamination

High-speed cutters are used in the surgery of the cervical spine. Such high-speed devices can produce an aerosol cloud. As a patient can be a reservoir for pathogens, with aerosol-borne paths of transmission, such an aerosol has to be seen as a potential risk of infection for health care professionals present during the surgery and for patients if micro-organisms are transferred through the medical personnel. The study was performed in order to measure the extension of environmental and body contamination through contaminated aerosols produced by a high-speed cutter. Three laminectomies (C4-C6) were performed on an intact human cadaver with a high-speed 0.6-mm ball cutter. A complete surgical setup was arranged, including surgical draping and a barrier drape to the anesthesiologist's workplace. Body and environmental contamination was detected by the use of surveillance cultures. The irrigation solution was artificially contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600. Following the surgery, staphylococci were detected in the operating room at an extension of 5x7 m. Everybody showed extensive face and body contamination with Staphylococcus aureus. The study showed that the use of high-speed cutters in surgery of the cervical spine produces an aerosol cloud that is spread over the whole surgical room and contaminates the theater and all personnel present. Such aerosols can be contaminated with pathogens if the patient was infected or colonized. Therefore, sufficient protective measures have to be recommended for everyone present in the operating room during such surgeries. In addition, efficient disinfection of the room and all mobile equipment is necessary after each surgery involving high-speed cutting devices.