Blood exposure in the operating room: reducing the risk.

Blood must be considered a toxic substance in the operating room. Members of the operating room team must exercise greater caution to prevent blood contact. Increased attention to the adequacy of barriers and avoidance of certain operating room behavior is important. All surgical team members must be vaccinated against hepatitis B. The frequency of operating room transmission of HIV infection is clearly less than has been the case with hepatitis B. Because of documented cases of occupationally acquired HIV following hollow needle exposures, it is clear that the risk is not zero. While no case of operating room transmission of HIV has yet been documented, it has no doubt occurred and will certainly be documented in the future. It is the responsibility of each member of the surgical team to be an advocate for his or her own protection in the operating room. A heightened awareness of our general behavior and particular attention to our use of sharp instruments and needles in the operating room will be our best line of defense.