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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
injuries — suture sticks, needle nicks, scalpel slices — and ways to
get staff on board.
"There are really tremendous options for reducing injury risk," says
Janine Jagger, MPH, PhD, founder of the International Healthcare
Worker Safety Center and professor of medicine at the University of
Virginia School of Medicine. "Most of them are just not widely imple-
mented."
1. Blunt suture needles
When it comes to sharps injuries, suture needles are the biggest cul-
prits — responsible for 43% of them, says Dr. Jagger — and one of the
easiest fixes. The most obvious way to prevent them is to switch to
blunt suture needles. The CDC, FDA and OSHA all recommend you
use blunt suture needles, yet OR teams have been slow to adapt, says
Dr. Jagger. One reason might be cost. Blunt suture needles cost 70
cents more than standard (sharp-tip) suture needles, but that's nothing
compared to the costs of a suture needle injury. "They're so effective at
preventing injuries that you'll recoup the costs," says Dr. Jagger, who
adds that most surgeons like the blunt needles once they get used to
them. In Japan — where blunt suture needles have been widely adopt-
ed — one study showed that surgeons actually felt uncomfortable
when they had to use sharp suture needles over blunt ones. "You can
feel the measure of security you get from those devices," says Dr.
Jagger. "It's kind of like always riding in a car with a seat belt, and then
having to take it off."
2. Wound-closure alternatives
Some wound-closure alternatives require no suture needles at all. For
internal tissue, adhesives made to facilitate the healing process inside
the body are an option, says Dr. Jagger. Newer formulas work better
S H A R P S S A F E T Y
