Do anaesthetists need to wear surgical masks in the operating theatre? A literature review with evidence-based recommendations

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

Volumn 29, Issue 4, 2001, Pages 331-338

  Skinner, M W ^a   Sutton, B A ^a  

^a North West Regional Hospital   (Australia)

Author keywords

Postoperative infections; Surgical masks: Anaesthesia

Indexed keywords

ANESTHESIST; CONTROLLED STUDY; ENDOSCOPY; EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE; HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL; HUMAN; INFECTION; MEDICAL LITERATURE; MEDICAL PRACTICE; MEDICAL RESEARCH; OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY; OPERATING ROOM; PHYSICIAN ATTITUDE; POLICY; QUESTIONNAIRE; REVIEW; SURGEON; SURGICAL MASK;

EID: 0034909063     PISSN: 0310057X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0310057x0102900402     Document Type: Review

References (41)

1. Surgical Face Masks: Protection of self or patient?
2. Mechanical ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality
3. Design and maintenance of Hospital ventilation systems and the prevention of Airborne Nosocomial Infection
4. Predictors of surgical wound infection in Australia. A National Study
5. A microbiologist's view of commissioning operating theatres
6. Current status of air handling systems in operating rooms
7. Post operative infection after total hip replacements with special reference to air contamination in the operating room
8. Air infection with dust liberated from clothing
9. The transmission of Staphylococcus aureus
10. A study of surgical masks
11. Surgical face masks in modern operating rooms. A costly and unnecessary ritual?
12. Dispersal of bacteria on desquamated skin
13. The operating room environment as affected by people and the surgical mask
14. Operating room environment
15. Mask wiggling as a potential cause of wound contamination
16. Is a mask necessary in the operating theatre?
17. Trial of the use of masks in the gynaecological operating theatre
18. Effect of cap and mask on infection rates
19. Wearing of caps and masks not necessary during cardiac catheterisation
20. Effect of surgical mask position on bacterial contamination of the operative field
21. Surgical face masks are effective in reducing bacterial contamination caused by dispersal from the upper airway
22. Regional anaesthesia requires attention to detail
23. Bacterial meningitis following spinal anaesthesia for Caesarian section
24. Postoperative wound infection and surgical face masks: A controlled study
25. Influence of wearing masks on the density of airborne bacteria in the vicinity of the surgical wound
26. The protective qualities of the gauze face mask
27. Droplet infection and its prevention by the face mask
28. An experimental study of the efficiency of gauze masks
29. The efficiency of standard surgical face mask: An investigation using tracer particles
30. Clinical implications of surgical mask retention efficiency for viable and total particles
31. Efficacy of face masks in preventing inhalation of airborne contaminants
32. 2 Laser
33. Smoke from laser surgery: Is there a health hazard?
34. 2 laser and electrocoagulation. Detection and protection
35. Aerosol created by some surgical power tools: Particle size distribution and qualitative Haemoglobin content
36. Aerosol penetration and leakage characteristics of masks used in the health care industry
37. Incidence of perceived and actual face shield contamination during vaginal and Caesarian delivery
38. A comparison of face masks and visors for the scrub team
39. Infection control in Health care
40. Experts discuss merits of surgical masks
41. Clothing in laminar flow operating theatres