ABSTRACT
Objective Negative pressure aspirator clogging ( OSAC) frequently occurs in orthopedic surgery .This study was to investigate the frequency , location , and mechanisms of OSAC in China by analysis of the current status and clinical observation of OSAC so as to provide evidence for the solution of the problem . Methods Using the two-stage random sampling method , we conduc-ted a questionnaire survey on OSAC among 738 clinical orthopedists during the 16th and 17th Chinese Orthopedic Association Confer-ences.Totally, 160 out 1200 orthopedic surgeries were randomly selected in the time order of operation , including 38 cases of total hip arthroplasty ( THA) , 39 cases of total knee arthroplasty ( TKA) , 43 cases of extremity and spinal fractures surgery , and 40 cases of other orthopedic surgeries .We also obtained the satisfaction scores with the existing aspirators from related medical professionals . Results Among the 738 respondents included into the analysis , 706 (95.7%) thought that OSAC often occurred during surgery , 631 (85.5%) considered THA to be the leading cause of OSAC , and 714 (96.7%) regarded the tip and hose joint of the aspirator as the common causes . The mean satisfaction score with the existing aspirators was 7.62 ±0.74.Clinical observation showed the mean frequency of OSAC to be 2.55 ±1.62 in THA, 1.95 ±1.33 in TKA, 1.52 ±1.18 in extremity and spinal fracture surgeries , and 0.95 ± 0.68 in other orthopedic surgeries , and the satisfaction score to be 7.36 ±0.84. Conclusion OSAC has a high incidence rate during orthopedic surgeries in China , thus affecting orthopedic surgery and reducing orthopedists'satisfaction with the aspirators . The current negative pressure aspirator system demands prompt improvement .