[IS THERE AN INDICATION FOR CLEANING OR DISINFECTING ULTRASOUND TRANDUCERS BETWEEN CONSECUTIVE EXAMINATIONS FOR FEAR OF TRANFERENCE OF INFECTION TO OR BETWEEN PATIENTS?].

The use of ultrasound is a keystone in current obstetrics and gynecology. In several studies, the presence of various biological infecting agents (bacteria, viruses and fungi) has been demonstrated on various parts of the transducers. These findings led to other studies in which different methods of cleaning, disinfection and sterilization have been evaluated for their efficacy in the elimination of these infections. These studies are inconclusive in terms of the preferred method for the total cleaning of these agents from the transducers. The coupling gel, which is used during sonographic examinations, has also been found to harbor all kinds of polluting biological agents. Despite these findings and due to the lack of scientific evidence for transference of infection to the patients, between patients or the staff, the question for the need of those cleaning procedures has been raised in the current relevant literature.