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Surgical masks are medical masks that ensure both the reduction of disease transmission by blocking the respiratory secretions produced when talking, coughing or sneezing, and protecting the wearer from exposure to splashes of infectious material from other people. Therefore, a surgical mask is recommended in situations where a person comes into contact with an infected or potentially infected person (e.g. visit to the clinic for consultation, patient caregivers).
Surgical masks – what are they?
A surgical mask is a personal protective equipment worn by healthcare professionals during medical procedures. Properly worn, it prevents airborne infection between patients and / or healthcare professionals by blocking the movement of pathogens (mainly bacteria and viruses) spread in respiratory droplets and aerosols from the mouth and nose of the mask wearer.
Surgical masks act as an additional barrier to the respiratory tract and are usually not designed to completely prevent the wearer of the mask from inhaling smaller airborne pathogens, but some studies suggest that they may still provide protection by filtering and trapping most of the pathogen-carrying droplets. There is limited evidence that surgical masks protect both the wearer of the mask (by filtering the air inhaled) and bystanders (by blocking the wearer’s strong exhalations that can spread pathogens over long distances).
Surgical masks were originally designed to protect healthcare professionals from accidentally inhaling or swallowing splashes or aerosols of body fluids, and the effectiveness of surgical masks against influenza-like infections has not been confirmed in high-quality randomized controlled trials. Commonly used surgical masks differ significantly in quality and level of protection.
See also: What are the types of face masks? [WE EXPLAIN]
Surgical masks – functions
Surgical masks serve as a mechanical barrier that interferes with direct air flow in and out of the breathing openings (i.e. nose and mouth). The most commonly used surgical masks are designed to only trap droplets from the respiratory tract and therefore will not filter or block fine airborne particles that are less than designed filtration rates that can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing, and unintentional spitting during calls or some aerosols generated during medical procedures (e.g. bronchoscopy, laryngoscopy or dental procedures).
Surgical masks also cannot provide complete protection against germs and other contaminants due to the often loose fit between the edges of the mask and the face of the wearer, especially when the mask is worn completely incorrectly (e.g. low with nose and / or mouth exposed).
Surgical masks are disposable and create a physical barrier between the respiratory openings (nose and mouth) of the wearer and potentially pathogenic contaminants in the immediate vicinity. When properly worn, surgical masks are designed to help block most (if not all) large particle droplets or splashes that may contain viruses and bacteriaby preventing them from reaching the nose and mouth of the wearer and vice versa, they also serve as a barrier to trap large droplets that are released from the mouth and nose of the wearer.
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Surgical masks help reduce the exposure of the user’s saliva and respiratory secretions to other people who might otherwise travel up to 7,9 meters. The surgical mask also reminds those wearing the mask not to touch their mouth or nose as they may otherwise transmit viruses and bacteria when they touch a contaminated surface.
The surgical mask should not be confused with a respirator (which is specially adapted to submicron particles) and is not certified as such. The filter collection efficiency of surgical masks can range from less than 10% to almost 90% for masks from different manufacturers, as measured using NIOSH certification test parameters.
Modern surgical masks are made of paper or other non-woven material and should be thrown away after each use.
See also: We get infected with the coronavirus during a short conversation. The air current accompanying the utterance of certain sounds carries it with dizzying speed
Surgical masks – construction
The design of the surgical masks depends on the intended applications. Typically, the masks are rectangular in shape with tabs to allow the wearer to expand and curve the mask to better cover the entire area from the nose to the chin. The outward side of the mask is usually colored (usually blue, green or yellow) and is thicker, harder and water impermeable. The inner layers of the mask are made of a three-layer polymer (most often polypropylene) sandwiched between the non-woven fabric. The material acts as a filter that stops microorganisms from penetrating the mask.
Another type of masks, the so-called Duckbill uses a trapezoidal bag-like design that has significantly shortened side edges – sometimes not at all – to minimize loose gaps for pathogens to pass through. These masks are typically made to N95 / P2 standards and are commonly used in clinical situations requiring protection against fine particles, such as tuberculosis.
Small strips of foam or thickened fabric are often sewn along the top of the mask to better seal against exhaled water vapor (which can fog up glasses and face shields) and to soak up excess sweat that drips down from the top. Small, bendable metal strips are often added to the top edge to make the surgical masks fit better over the bridge of the nose.
Masks are usually attached to the head with straps or elastic bands that are attached to the four corners of the surgical mask. The straps are available in the form of four free hanging ribbons that are hand tied horizontally in two pairs at the back of the head and are most commonly used in surgical operations due to the ability to conveniently adjust the length and tension of the strap to the shape of the face and head of the wearer.
In the case of duckbill masks, they are attached to the head with elastic bands that wrap horizontally around the head like tied straps, designed to apply tension to the top and bottom edges of the mask to seal the mask against the face more tightly; while the vertical straps, used in standard surgical masks, engage the ears with less stress (due to the weaker stiffness of the cartilaginous turbinates compared to the bony skull) and therefore adhere less to the face, but are more popular in post-operative applications with due to the ease of putting on and taking off.
The filter material in the middle layer may be made of electrostatically charged microfibers; that is, the fibers are electrets. The electret filter increases the chances that smaller particles will twist and hit the fiber instead of passing through it directly (electrostatic capture). Work is ongoing to produce electret filter materials that can be washed and reused, currently commercially produced electret filters are destroyed by many forms of disinfection, including washing with soap and water, or with alcohol, which destroys the electrical charge.
Standard disposable surgical masks are not washable.
See also: Which masks best protect against coronavirus infection? Ranking according to the latest research
Surgical masks – application
Surgical masks for healthcare workers
Surgical masks are designed to be worn by healthcare professionals during surgery and certain healthcare procedures to catch microbes scattered in liquid droplets and sprays from the wearer’s mouth and nose. Evidence supports the effectiveness of surgical masks in reducing the risk of infection among other healthcare professionals and among others. However, a Cochrane review found that there is no conclusive evidence that disposable face masks worn by members of the surgical team would reduce the risk of wound infection following clean surgery.
- You can buy a set of FFP2 filtering masks at an attractive price at medonetmarket.pl
Healthcare professionals are trained to don, handle, remove and dispose of surgical masks. For healthcare professionals, the safety guidelines recommend that a face-tested N95 or FFP3 face mask be worn instead of a surgical mask near patients during a flu pandemic to reduce wearer exposure to potentially infectious aerosols and airborne droplets.
See also: Influenza epidemic in Poland. Record numbers of infections
Surgical masks and the general public
Facial masks are generally not recommended in environmental and home conditions, other measures are preferred, such as avoiding close contact, maintaining proper hand hygiene, and wearing cloth face covers.
Surgical masks are commonly worn all year round in East Asian countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to reduce the risk of spreading airborne diseases to others and prevent inhalation of airborne dust particles from air pollution .
In Japan and Taiwan, face masks are often seen worn during flu season as an expression of respect for others and social responsibility. Surgical masks provide some protection against the spread of disease, and improvised masks provide half as much protection.
Due to the growing smog problem in South and Southeast Asia, surgical and air-filtering masks are now often used in major cities in India, Nepal and Thailand when air quality is deteriorating to toxic levels. Additionally, face masks are used in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore during Southeast Asia’s haze season. Additionally, surgical masks have become fashionable, especially in contemporary East Asian culture, enhanced by its popularity in the pop culture of Japan and Korea, which have a large impact on East Asian youth culture.
Surgical masks – rules for effective use
What can we do to make sure that we are using the surgical mask correctly?
- Make sure that the appropriate mask (with good filtration efficiency) is consistently used and worn for the intended purpose described in the instructions.
- Practice removing used and contaminated face masks properly to prevent spread of viruses to hands, face and other contact surfaces. When removing, only touch the straps, not the surface of the surgical mask. Wash your hands after removing the used surgical mask.
- Do not talk too much while wearing a surgical mask. This reduces the amount of condensation produced in the mask and extends its effective life. For surgical masks to be sufficiently effective, they should be changed if they are dirty or wet.
- For reusable masks, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for washing and replacing the masks when used above the recommended number of uses.
What should not be done? Do not re-use surgical masks as they are contaminated after use.