Surgical masks as source of bacterial contamination during operative procedures
Surgical masks as source of bacterial contamination during operative procedures Journal of Orthopaedic Translation Volume 14, July 2018, Pages 57-62 EXCERPT: Background Surgical masks (SMs) are used to reduce bacterial shedding from the mouth, nose and face. This study aimed to investigate whether SMs may be a potential source of bacterial shedding leading to an increased risk of surgical site infection. Methods Bacterial contamination of the SMs was tested by making an impression of the external surface of the mask on sterile culture media immediately. We investigated the difference in bacterial counts between the SMs worn by surgeons and those placed unused in the operating room (OR), and the bacterial count variation with indicated wearing time. Moreover, the difference in bacterial counts on the external surface between the first and second layers of double-layered SMs was also assessed. Results The bacterial count on the surface of SMs increased with extended operating time