Rituals and behaviours in the operating theatre – joint guidelines of The Healthcare Infection Society and The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Summary

These new updated guidelines, produced in collaboration between the Healthcare Infection Society and The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, used NICE-accredited methodology to provide further advice on which practices in the operating theatre are unnecessary. The guidelines are intended for an international audience. Specifically, they discuss the current available evidence for different rituals that are commonplace in the operating theatre and highlight the gaps in knowledge with recommendations for future research.