TITLE:
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
AUTHORS:
Priscilla O. Aikabeli
KEYWORDS:
Operating Room, Operating Theatre, Facemask, Clean Surgery, Surgical Site Infection
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.11 No.10,
October
21,
2021
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.