Surgical attire and the operating room: role in infection prevention

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Surgical Safety
• Microbiology

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant concern in healthcare.
• Standard operating room (OR) attire includes scrubs, masks, and head coverings.
• The effectiveness of OR environmental factors in preventing SSIs requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various operating room (OR) measures on surgical site infection (SSI) prevalence.
• To determine the role of OR attire, ventilation, and environmental contamination in SSI prevention.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing evidence on OR practices and their correlation with SSI rates.
• Analysis of studies examining bacterial counts and environmental contamination in the OR.
• Assessment of the impact of specific OR interventions on infection outcomes.

Main Results:

• Impervious surgical gowns and gloves demonstrably reduce SSI prevalence.
• Evidence supporting the reduction of SSIs by scrubs, masks, and head coverings is lacking, despite evidence of reduced bacterial counts.
• The role of operating room ventilation in SSI prevention remains unclear.
• Exposure of fluids and instruments to the OR environment can cause contamination.
• Increased room traffic elevates OR bacterial levels, but its direct link to SSIs is uncertain.

Conclusions:

• Impervious surgical gowns and gloves are crucial for reducing surgical site infections.
• The efficacy of standard OR attire (scrubs, masks, head coverings) in preventing SSIs is not supported by current evidence.
• Further research is needed to clarify the impact of OR ventilation and environmental contamination on surgical site infection rates.