Background: Recent literature showed that analysis of interruptions can contribute to evaluating the care process in the operating room, and thus, understanding potential errors that may occur during surgical procedures. The aim of this comprehensive review was to summarize current knowledge on the description and impact of interruptions in surgery.
Material and methods: A literature search was conducted according to a set of criteria in the databases MEDLINE, BASE, Cochrane's Library, and PsycINFO.
Results: 41 articles were included. Two main methodological approaches were found, observational in the OR, or controlled in an experimental simulated environment. Interruptions in the OR were manifold, and several classifications were used. The severity of interruptions differed according to the category of the interruptions. Interruptions were influenced by team familiarity and the expertise of the surgical team; high team familiarity and a high level of expertise decreased the frequency of interruptions. However, our literature search lacked controlled studies carried out in the OR. Interruptions seemed to increase the workload and stress of the surgical team and impair nontechnical skills, but no clear evidence of this was advanced.
Conclusions: Interruptions are probably risk factors for errors in the operating room. However, there is as yet no clear evidence of the association of interruption frequency with errors in the operating room. There is a need to define and target interruptions, which should be reduced by putting safeguards in place, thereby allowing those which could be beneficial and neglecting those with no potential consequences.
Keywords: Disruptions; Interruptions; Safety; Surgery.
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