Interdisciplinary strategies to reduce surgical site infections in operating rooms: a scoping review.

Abstract

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most frequent healthcare-associated infections, causing major morbidity, mortality and costs. In Switzerland, SSIs represent up to 30% of hospital-acquired infections, yet adherence to prevention measures remains suboptimal.

Objective: To map research on interdisciplinary strategies for SSI prevention and assess their impact on adherence and outcomes.

Design: Scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

Data sources: CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library (2016-2026), plus manual searches. English and French studies included.

Eligibility: Using the Participants-Concept-Context framework: surgical teams with ≥3 professional groups (participants), interdisciplinary strategies targeting SSI prevention (concept), adult surgical procedures in the OR (context). Experimental, quasi-experimental, observational and cross-sectional designs were eligible.

Methods: Data were charted using a WHO-informed tool. Five reviewers appraised studies with Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Results synthesised narratively.

Results: From 2058 records, 22 studies were included across 9 countries and 8 specialties, mostly high-income settings. Bundled interventions were associated with improved adherence and reductions in SSI rates of up to 50%. Success depended on leadership, collaboration, audit-feedback and contextual adaptation. No study reported coordination triggers or nursing frameworks; patient involvement was mainly informational.

Conclusions: Interdisciplinary bundles improve adherence and reduce SSI rates but show variable effectiveness. No defined model ensures consistent gains. Future research should integrate synchronisation mechanisms, triggers and structured task-sharing to strengthen sustainability and impact.