N.M. Admin. Code § 16.25.9.18 - SURGICAL SERVICES

A. Aseptic surgery means a procedure that is performed under sterile conditions.

(1) Sterile surgery shall be defined as procedures in which aseptic technique is practiced in patient preparation, instrumentation and surgical attire.

(2) Clean surgery means the performance of a surgical operation for the treatment of a condition and under circumstances which, consistent with the standards of good veterinary medicine, do not warrant the use of aseptic surgical procedures.

B. The surgeon is responsible for the surgical case until it is completed and there is adequate recovery of the patient from anesthesia.

C. Surgery room.

(1) A room shall be designated for aseptic procedures only, in which no other uses are permitted;

(2) The room shall be well lighted and have available an operational viewing device for reviewing radiographs;

(3) The floors, tabletops, and countertops of the surgery room shall be of a material suitable for disinfection and cleaning and shall be cleaned and disinfected regularly;

(4) Storage in the surgery room is limited to surgically related items only; and

(5) Nothing in this section shall preclude the performance of emergency aseptic surgical procedures in another room when the room designated for that purpose is occupied.

D. Instruments and equipment.

(1) Instruments and equipment shall be:

(a) adequate for the type of surgical service provided; and

(b) sterilized by a method acceptable for the type of surgery for which they shall be used.

(2) In any sterile surgical procedure, a separate sterile pack and gloves shall be used for each animal;

(3) All instruments, packs and equipment that have been sterilized shall have an indicator that reacts to and verifies sterilization within one year; and

(4) Suture material shall not be used beyond the manufacturer's expiration date.

E. Surgical attire.

(1) Each member of the surgical team shall wear an appropriate sanitary cap and sanitary mask which covers his hair, mouth, nose and any facial hair, except for eyebrows and eyelashes;

(2) All members of the surgical team who will be handling sterile instruments or touching the surgical site shall wear sterilized surgical gowns with long sleeves and sterilized gloves;

(3) Ancillary personnel in the surgery room shall wear clean clothing;

(4) Ancillary personnel in immediate proximity to the sterile field shall wear sanitary cap and mask; and

(5) When performing "clean surgery", the instruments used to perform such surgery shall have been properly sterilized or disinfected and the surgeon and ancillary personnel shall wear clean clothing as appropriate.

F. Anesthesia.

(1) General anesthesia is a condition caused by the administration of a drug or combination of drugs sufficient to produce a state of unconsciousness or dissociation and blocked response to a given pain or alarming stimulus.

(2) Administration of appropriate and humane methods of anesthesia, analgesia and sedation to minimize pain and distress during any procedures and shall comply with the following standards:

(a) with the exception of feral or dangerous animals, every animal shall be given a physical examination within two weeks prior to the administration of an anesthetic;

(b) the animal under general anesthesia shall be under continuous observation until, at minimum, the swallowing reflex has returned and shall not be released to the client until the animal demonstrates a righting reflex. This shall not preclude direct transfer of an animal under anesthesia to a suitable facility for referred observation;

(c) provide a method of respiratory monitoring that may include observation of the animal's chest movement or observing the rebreathing bag or respirometer;

(d) provide a method of cardiac monitoring that may include the use of stethoscope or electrocardiographic monitor;

(e) clean endotracheal tubes of assorted sizes shall be readily available;

(f) oxygen equipment shall be available at all times;

(g) anesthetic equipment will be maintained in proper working condition; and

(h) effective means shall be provided for exhausting waste gasses from hospital areas in which inhalation anesthesia is used.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 16.25.9.18

16.25.9.18 NMAC - Rp 16.25.9.18 NMAC, 01-17-2014, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVII, Issue 08, April 30, 2016, eff. 5/8/2016