The association of noise and surgical-site infection in day-case hernia repairs

Introduction. Surgical-site infections (SSIs) are associated with an increased duration of hospital stay, poorer quality of life, and an marked increase in cost to the hospital. Lapses in compliance with aseptic principles are a substantial risk factor for SSI, which may be attributable to distractions such as noise during the operation. The aims of this study were to assess whether noise levels in the operating room are associated with the development of SSI and to elucidate the extent to which these levels affect the financial burden of surgery. Methods. Prospective data collection from elective, day-case male patients undergoing elective hernia repairs was undertaken. Patients were included if they were fit and at low risk for SSI. Sound levels during procedures was measured via a decibel meter and correlated with the incidence of SSI. Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS (IBM, Armonk, NY). Results. Noise levels were substantially greater in patients with SSI from time point of 50 minutes onwards, which correlated to when wound closure was occurring. Additional hospital costs for these patients were 243 per patient based on the National Health Service 2013 reference costing. Conclusion. Decreasing ambient noise levels in the operating room may aid in reducing the incidence of SSIs, particularly during closure, and decrease the associated financial costs of this complication.