From the limited results it is unclear whether the wearing of surgical face masks by members of the surgical team has any impact on surgical wound infection rates for patients undergoing clean surgery.
Trial of the use of masks in the gynaecological operating theatre.
A randomly controlled trial was performed on 41 women having gynaecological surgery in which the team of surgeons and nurses wore or did not wear masks. After major abdominal surgery, 3 of 5 patients in the unmasked group developed wound infections whereas no infection was observed in the 4 patients of the masked group. A greater number of Streptococci were also found by settle-plates on the operating table in the unmasked group. No infection was recorded after minor or vaginal surgery.