Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Yoshida, Japan.
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2023 Apr 7;13(1):5713. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-31926-9.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in facemask use. Consequently, it has been reported that exhaled airflow toward the eyes can cause the dispersal of bacteria into the eyes, potentially increasing the incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis. In addition to wearing a facemask, gaps between the surgical drape and skin can also direct exhaled airflow toward the eyes. Here, we aimed to examine how the risk of contamination varies depending on the state of the drapes. We used a carbon dioxide imaging camera to visualize changes in exhaled airflow under different drape conditions and a particle counter to evaluate changes in the number of particles around the eye. The results revealed airflow present around the eye and a significant increase in the number of particles when the nasal side of the drape was detached from the skin. However, when a metal rod called "rihika" was used to create space above the body, the airflow and number of particles were significantly reduced. Thus, if drape coverage becomes incomplete during surgery, exhaled airflow toward the eye may contaminate the surgical field. On hanging up the drape, airflow can escape in the direction of the body, potentially preventing contamination.
冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行导致口罩使用量急剧增加。因此，据报道，向眼睛呼出的气流会导致细菌散布到眼睛中，从而增加术后眼内炎的发病率。除了戴口罩外，手术巾和皮肤之间的缝隙也可以将呼出的气流引导到眼睛。在这里，我们旨在研究在不同的覆盖状态下，污染的风险如何变化。我们使用二氧化碳成像摄像机来观察不同覆盖条件下呼出气流的变化，并使用粒子计数器评估眼睛周围粒子数量的变化。结果表明，当手术巾的鼻侧与皮肤分离时，气流会出现在眼睛周围，并且周围的粒子数量会显著增加。但是，当使用一种称为“rihika”的金属棒在身体上方制造空间时，气流和粒子数量会明显减少。因此，如果手术过程中手术巾覆盖不完全，向眼睛呼出的气流可能会污染手术区域。在悬挂手术巾时，气流可以向身体方向逸出，从而可能防止污染。
