What Is the Evidence Supporting the Use of Surgical Face Masks in the Operating Room in Preventing Surgical Site Infection after Clean Surgery? A Systematic Review

Priscilla O Aikabeli

doi:10.4236/ojn.2021.1110070

Abstract

Background: Facemask is an essential component of the surgical outfit adorned by operating room staff to filter microorganisms by droplets from the oral and nasopharynx of the personnel, thereby reducing contamination, protecting the patient’s wound and minimising the risk of Surgical Site Infections (SSI). Objective: The objective of this review was to explore the available evidence and provide a better understanding of the effect of a surgical facemask in preventing SSI in clean surgery performed in the operating room. Data sources: Key electronic databases related to nursing, allied health, life science, biomedicine and research were searched for published literature on the use of facemask in the operating room. Methodology: A systematic review of quantitative research studies of randomised controlled trials was conducted with a meta-analysis of the results. Results: No variation in the rate of infection between the two (masked and unmasked) groups. Conclusion: The effect of facemask in minimising SSI after clean surgery remains questionable due to the limited results. More comprehensive research is needed.

Highlights

The search disclosed numerous reviews on the use of surgical facemasks in the operating room to recognise any existing narrative or systematic reviews on the topic to establish the originality of the research question [18] [25]
Considering the strength of, and support for randomised controlled trials (RCT) methodology and meta-analysis, the results clearly show that the use of surgical facemasks in the operating room does not minimise the rate of Surgical Site Infections (SSI)
The results from the studies included in this systematic review presented the same findings of unclear evidence supporting the use of surgical facemask in the operating room in preventing SSI

Summary

Introduction

The review highlighted inappropriate use and inconsistency in facemask practice by operating room personnel which could lead to surgical wound contamination, subsequent wound infection and the attendant increase in care cost, longer hospitalisation and mortality [2]. These and other areas of doubt were refined into a specific researchable question [4]. The use of surgical facemasks in the operating room to minimise contamination has been standard practice for over a century [5] [6] They were originally invented by Paul Berger in 1897 to protect patients from the risk of SSI by filtering microorganisms from droplets exhaled from the nose and mouth of the surgical team during surgery [7]. The Office of National Statistics [12] emphasised that when juxtaposed with all acute care hospitals, the

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Conclusion