Accidents d'exposition au sang en réanimation et lors des procédures de circulation extracorporelle

The incidence of accidental exposures of healthcare workers to bloodborne pathogens, when expressed over the number of care procedures performed, is higher in intensive care units than in other hospital wards. The rapid turnover of staff members, and subsequently sometimes their lack of experience, emergency situations, and the wide diversity of care procedures performed are important factors contributing to the increased risk of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in intensive care units. Haemodialysis, and by extension, possibly other procedures that use an extracorporeal blood circulation, are known to put healthcare workers at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, and particularly to blood projections when disconnecting the circuit at the end of the procedure. Although numerous safety devices to protect against blood and body fluids exposure during a wide range of care procedures are available, such devices specifically designed for circuit disconnection are still lacking. Therefore, education, training, the strict application of standard/universal procedures (protective gown, gloves, mask, glasses, etc.), and also the implementation of local standardized procedures are of paramount importance.