Tip the Hat: Does A Superior Cloth Surgeons Cap Really Exist?

Volume 2 - Issue 2

Jason Nealy MD* and Michael Salehpour MD

Received: February 18, 2019;   Published: February 25, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/SCSOAJ.2019.02.000135

Full Text PDF

To view the Full Article   Peer-reviewed Article PDF

Background

The efficacy of operating room headwear has been in debate for several years as governing organizations, including the Joint Commission, CDC, and the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, have published guidelines without clear evidence in support of these practices. In the 2016 edition of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses Procedure Manual all operating room personnel are to wear disposable bouffant-style hats. Several studies have suggested that hair is a vehicle for bacterial dispersal, however, there has been no definitive evidence that connects bacteria in the hair to surgical site infections. In November, 2017 an article was published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons entitled “Hats Off: A Study of Different Operating Room Headgear Assessed by Environmental Quality Indicators.” Though this study has demanded criticism by those in control of OR policy, it is not without validity.

Background| Methods| Results| Discussion| Limitations| Conclusion| References|