Effect of bouffant vs skull caps on SSIs

Editor's Note

Surgeon preference for bouffant versus skull caps does not have a significant effect on surgical site infection (SSI) rates, after accounting for procedure type, this study finds.

Of 1,543 procedures analyzed, surgeons wore bouffant caps in 39% and skull caps in 61% of cases.

Overall, SSIs occurred in 8% of cases with bouffant caps and 5% of cases with skull caps. After adjusting for the type of surgery, no significant differences in SSI rates were found.

Future guidelines should consider clinical outcomes data, and surgeon preference should dictate OR headwear, the authors say.