San Diego—Infections can be lethal in the hospital setting, of course, but awareness of anesthesiologists’ role in contamination is just starting to emerge.
According to data presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the Society for Technology in Anesthesia (abstract 29), anesthesia machines, which are notoriously difficult to clean, have been shown to be a potent reservoir for intraoperative exposure to pathogens (Anesthesiology 2008;109:399-407; Anesth Analg 2012;114:1236-1248; J