EVALUATION OF THE SURGICAL TRAY OPENING PROCEDURE IN OPERATING SUITES: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Safety
• Infection Control

Background:

• Optimizing operating suite efficiency is crucial for healthcare institutions.
• Early opening of surgical trays is a potential strategy to reduce surgery times and increase daily surgical capacity.
• This systematic review evaluates the risks and benefits of this practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on the early opening of surgical trays.
• To assess the impact of this practice on operating room efficiency and patient safety.
• To identify optimal protocols for surgical tray preparation.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted across multiple databases and grey literature.
• Included studies, clinical guidelines, and practice guides.
• Key indicators assessed were patient-to-surgery time, tray contamination rates, and surgical wound infection rates.

Main Results:

• No studies demonstrated efficiency gains from early surgical tray opening.
• Contamination rates for uncovered trays were low initially (4% within 30 minutes) but increased with exposure.
• Clinical guidelines recommend preparation close to surgery but lack specific timeframes.

Conclusions:

• The optimal timing for opening surgical trays remains undetermined.
• Uncertainty exists regarding infection risks and lack of proven benefits.
• A cautious approach and feasibility analysis are recommended before implementing changes in practice.