Decreased Splatter in Dermabrasion

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Abstract
To compare a new dermabrasion instrument equipped with a metal shield and hydration-suction apparatus with the standard instrument, with specific attention to the exposure of operating room personnel to potentially hazardous particles. A surgical trial with each of the instruments was performed with a skin model. The splatter caused by the 2 instruments was evaluated and compared statistically and graphically. Female hairless guinea pigs (450 g) were used as a skin model. Ten guinea pigs were treated with the standard dermabrading instrument, and 10 were treated with a shielded suction-irrigating dermabrader. The splatter was analyzed by counting the number of particles landing on strategically placed glass slides. Evaluations of histologic cross-sections of the dermabraded skin were compared in a blinded fashion. Statistical and graphic analysis showed the number of potentially hazardous particles generated by the suction dermabrader to be significantly less than that generated by the standard dermabrader. Histologic sections showed no difference between the 2 subsets. The new shielded suction-irrigating dermabrader provides comparable surgical results while significantly decreasing exposure to potentially hazardous splatter particles. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2000;2:23-26