Self-contamination Following Removal of Two Personal Protective Equipment Suits: a Crossover Trial

Self-contamination Following Removal of Two Personal Protective Equipment Suits: a Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Simulation Trial

Anesthesiologists and other professionals are at high risk of viral infection during aerosol-generating procedures. Knowledge of the protective quality of PPE suits and the risk of self-contamination after removal is paramount. This trial used an ultraviolet-fluorescent solution to explore differences in self-contamination after removal of gown PPE (PPE-G) and coverall PPE (PPE-C). A two-period/two-intervention (AB/BA) design was chosen; each intervention consisted of audio-guided placement of PPE, full-body spraying of fluorescent solution, audio-guided removal of PPE, and assessment of self-contamination through ultraviolet light scanning. The primary outcome was the mean within-participant difference (traces of any size) between PPE suits. Statistical significance was tested using t test for paired data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Anesthesiology Department member (Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina), participation in the PPE training workshop.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study
• Known allergy to any of the components of the fluorescent lotion