Surgical asepsis revisited.

Basic principles, rituals, and surgical conscience are essential components of surgical asepsis. Surgical asepsis has become too complicated. Protective asepsis describes principles of good hygiene, sanitation, and impeccable aseptic technique; the term has received renewed interest in the advent and increased awareness of bloodborne diseases. Rituals may actually enhance learning and efficiency in the operating room even though they may or may not directly affect nosocomial infection rates.