Conversation in the operating theater as a cause of airborne bacterial contamination.

Using microspheres of human albumin sprayed on the face and in the nostrils under the facemask, we studied the role of conversation in contaminating the operating-room environment in addition to the microbial contamination of the air in an empty and in an occupied operating room. Conversation consistently increased the number of microspheres found in the simulated wound. The spatial relationship between the mask and the hood was important in reducing contamination. A complete hood overlapping the mask, with no gaps at the sides or bottom of the mask, was most efficient. The air contamination was increased by the presence of operating-room personnel and varied in different parts of the theater according to the density of traffic. We concluded that conversation contributes to airborne contamination in the operating theater but that contamination from this source can be lessened by wearing a face-mask that extends underneath an overlapping hood.