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Inadequate flushing of devices a common cause of TASS
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SAN FRANCISCO — Proper sterilization of surgical devices could assist in preventing toxic anterior segment syndrome, with the most common causes of the inflammation linked to easy-to-fix solutions, a clinician said here.
"Adherence to cleaning and product use recommendations will help prevent TASS and thereby protect patients," Carolee M. Cutler Peck, MD, MPH, said at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.
Dr. Cutler Peck and colleagues analyzed data collected from 40 questionnaires submitted to the ASCRS Web site. Information was also collected from 43 surgical site visits. A total of 437 cases of TASS were reported from 25,441 cataract surgery procedures.
The researchers found that 79% of surgery centers surveyed cleaned their handpieces with 10 cc to 100 cc per flush, when the recommended dose is 120 cc per port. Dr. Cutler Peck recommended that all handpieces be flushed immediately after surgery in sterile water. The final flush should be with sterile deionized or sterile distilled water, she said.
Other practices associated with higher risk of TASS were use of enzymatic cleansers, detergents at improper concentration and ultrasonic bath.