Preventive strategies for needle stick incidents during surgical procedures: a narrative review to guide healthcare professionals

Needlestick injuries (NSI) result from penetrating trauma or lacerations to the skin. This includes needles, cannulae, needles utilized for connecting components of intravenous administration systems, and surgical equipment contaminated with human fluids.NSIs are 90 % more prevalent in underdeveloped nations than in developed ones, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicating that over 50 % of NSIs among healthcare professionals (HCPs) remain unreported.The risk of transmission after percutaneous exposure to contaminated blood remains significant for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), whereas Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is assessed as extremely low.Psychosocial support should be provided to mitigate anxiety associated with transmission risk, and treatment adverse effects, therefore enhancing treatment compliance.We recommend post-exposure prophylaxis, as supported by the literature, with no interruption to the treatment duration.Further research on the duration of treatment is needed to minimize the adverse effects and minimize off-duty days.