A STUDY OF WARMING DEVICES AND PERIOPERATIVE FACTORS POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO SURGICAL FIELD CONTAMINATION IN SMALL ANIMAL PATIENTS

Bacterial contamination on surgical drapes may increase the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). This preliminary investigation analyzed the relationship between forced-air warming devices and bacterial contamination on surgical drapes in small animal soft tissue surgery settings. The subjects of this study were canine and feline patients enrolled in clean surgical procedures at the National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital. Bacterial colonies on surgical drapes were sampled on agar plates immediately prior to and 1[Formula: see text]h after skin incision. Cases with bacteria growth on the post-incision sampled agar were considered with surgical field contamination (SFC). Intraoperative warming methods (forced-air warming systems or circulating water blankets) and other factors that potentially contribute to SFC (drape material, patient features, surgical procedure types, surgeons, and number of operating room personnel) were recorded. The study comprised 57 operations, 28 cases belonged to the circulating water blanket group and 29 belonged to the forced-air warming system group. No differences in contamination rate were detected among intraoperative warming methods, drape materials, patient characteristics, surgical procedure types, or number of operating room personnel. However, a significant difference in contamination rate was detected among surgeons.