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Lignocaine spray applicators are a potential source of cross‐infection in the anaesthetic room
Author(s) -
Williams O. A.,
Wilcox M. H.,
Nicol C. D.,
Spencer R. C.,
Reilly C. S.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1993.tb06795.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nozzle , anesthesia , glottis , contamination , intubation , lidocaine , airway , surgery , larynx , biology , thermodynamics , ecology , physics
Summary Ten percent lignocaine spray is in widespread clinical use as a means of suppressing responses to tracheal intubation, ft is sprayed from a multidose container into the glottis and on to the vocal cords through an applicator nozzle, which may be used on successive patients. We have investigated the likelihood of the contamination of these nozzles, with patients' mouth flora. Spray applicators from four of the 20 cases investigated showed contamination with potential bacterial pathogens. We therefore recommend that lignocaine spray should not be applied to successive patients using the same applicator nozzle.