title: [Dubious effect of surgical masks during surgery].
abstract: This article clarifies the use of surgical masks during surgery and the evidence for this. A search performed in PubMed found four studies based on 6.006 patients. The studies described the use of surgical masks in surgery with post-operative infections as endpoint, and the studies had to include a control group. None of the four studies found a difference in the number of post-operative infections whether you used a surgical mask or not. However, the limited numbers of studies make it unsafe to conclude whether or not surgical face masks reduce post-operative infections.
authors.affiliation: Sankt Jørgens Gade 11, 3. tv., 9000 Aalborg. E-mail: tildecaroe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tilde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carøe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008397:Masks; D011482:Protective Devices; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*