Peri-Operative Management of Patients with Continuous Alcohol Monitoring Devices: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Abstract

Continuous alcohol monitoring devices are worn among offenders who have been referred by the court and are designed to keep track of alcohol consumption. Also, named transdermal alcohol sensors, these devices measure the concentration of alcohol in perspiration every 30 minutes and can give a continuous estimation of alcohol levels over time [1]. Notably, very little prospective data exists to guide the management of a patient with a monitoring device in a surgical case that necessitates the use of monopolar or bipolar electrocautery. We encountered a patient who had chosen to undergo an elective robotic hysterectomy, and it was not until the patient reached the operating room that the continuous alcohol monitoring system was discovered on her ankle. Prior to the surgery, several layers of gauze were packed between the device and the patient’s skin, and a grounding pad was placed on the contralateral buttock. No adverse outcomes were encountered during the operation and the patient was safely discharged.