Bacterial contamination of anaesthetists' hands by personal mobile phone and fixed phone use in the operating theatre.
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Date
2007-08-16
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Abstract
Following hand disinfection 40 anaesthetists working in the operating room OR were asked to use their personal in hospital mobile phone for a short phone call After use of the cell phone bacterial contamination of the physicians hands was found in 38 40 physicians 4 40 with human pathogen bacteria After repeating the same investigation with fixed phones in the OR anteroom 33 40 physicians showed bacterial contamination 4 40 with human pathogen bacteria The benefit of using mobile phones in the OR should be weighed against the risk for unperceived contamination The use of mobile phones may have more serious hygiene consequences because unlike fixed phones mobile phones are often used in the OR close to the patient