Sharps and needlestick injuries pose a serious risk to operating theatre personnel with considerable morbidity, mortality and healthcare implications. The cost of prophylaxis and post-exposure treatment is a significant institutional economic burden.

The aim of the review was to identify the prevalence of sharps and needlestick injury within the operating theatre and to establish the most common critical steps.

A systematic literature search was conducted. Abstracts of all studies published in English from 2015 onwards exploring sharps and needlestick injury within the operating theatre were reviewed. Primary outcome measure was sharps and needlestick injury prevalence. Secondary outcome measures included operational steps resulting in sharps and needlestick injury and costs of sharps and needlestick injury management.

Sixteen studies were identified and included in analysis. Cross-sectional studies reported a pooled prevalence of 41.5% (n = 537; 95% confidence interval = 15.961 to 70.220). Retrospective data analysis reported an annualised prevalence of 5.027% (95% confidence interval = 0.676 to 13.073) on a total pooled sample population of 12,929. Further analysis of operational steps identified a 22% prevalence (n= 3460; 95% confidence interval = 14.2 to 31.3) of sharps and needlestick injury occurring during a procedure involving handing or receiving an instrument.

Sharps and needlestick injuries are a significant but preventable risk in the operating theatre. Further research into the development of safety devices to reduce injury during instrument transfer is paramount.