What to do if a bone falls on the floor?

What to do if a bone falls on the floor?

• A. Irrigate with bulb syringe, iodine bath for 5 minutes and rinse with saline, re-implant
• B. Discard the bone and avoid re-implantation
• C. Rinse with water only and re-implant
• D. Sterilize in boiling water before re-implantation

Answer: (A)

When a bone fragment falls on the floor, the goal is to reduce contamination while preserving the fragment’s viability for re-implantation. Start by gently irrigating and flushing the piece with sterile saline using a bulb syringe to remove gross debris. Then place the fragment in a dilute antiseptic bath, such as iodine, for about five minutes to lower surface bacterial load. After that, rinse the fragment thoroughly with saline to remove residual antiseptic and minimize any cytotoxic effects before re-implantation. Re-implant promptly if feasible to maximize healing and alignment. This approach cleans and decontaminates the fragment without causing excessive damage, unlike rinsing with only water or boiling, which either doesn’t adequately decontaminate or damages the bone. Discarding the fragment sacrifices potential for reattachment and structural restoration.

When a bone fragment falls on the floor, the goal is to reduce contamination while preserving the fragment’s viability for re-implantation. Start by gently irrigating and flushing the piece with sterile saline using a bulb syringe to remove gross debris. Then place the fragment in a dilute antiseptic bath, such as iodine, for about five minutes to lower surface bacterial load. After that, rinse the fragment thoroughly with saline to remove residual antiseptic and minimize any cytotoxic effects before re-implantation. Re-implant promptly if feasible to maximize healing and alignment. This approach cleans and decontaminates the fragment without causing excessive damage, unlike rinsing with only water or boiling, which either doesn’t adequately decontaminate or damages the bone. Discarding the fragment sacrifices potential for reattachment and structural restoration.