Got Ink? Applying a Risk Assessment Framework for Tattoo Machine Disinfection

Session Description: Medical tattooing is often used post mastectomy to improve breast reconstruction cosmetic outcomes. Offering medical tattooing within the healthcare setting can provide seamless care delivery in a familiar, safe environment and supports increased patient satisfaction. Some tattoo machines have instructions for use for disinfection that can be conflicting and difficult to interpret and realize in a clinic setting. A proactive risk assessment framework can be used to quantify risk and benefits and determine best actions when regulations, standards and instructions for use do not provide clear direction. One of our plastic surgery departments purchased a tattoo machine with instructions for use that called for cold sterilization which requires soaking, yet the machine could not be submersed.
This session will describe how Infection Preventionists worked in collaboration with plastic surgery clinic leaders and the clinical team, with input from the device manufacturer, to perform a proactive risk assessment that guided the development of a work standard for disinfection of a wireless tattoo machine. Elements of the risk assessment included patient safety, quality of care, workflow efficiency, regulatory compliance, environmental safety, and a review of state licensing requirements for body art.
The assessment provided the needed framework for team decision making and proper documentation. Lessons learned included the importance of including Infection Prevention in the process of selecting devices that will be used for patient care, how a risk assessment can help navigate unclear situations and that collaboration is key to finding safe and workable solutions.