I read with sorrow the Globe’s recent piece regarding surgical headgear (“An argument of the head — and heart — roils OR,’’ Page A1, Sept. 1). It may seem obvious to lay people that covering more hair with a bouffant cap reduces infection rates and improves outcomes — the position of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. But many things in medicine are extraordinarily counterintuitive.

Consider this: Why would anyone allow music to be played in the operating room while cutting someone open? Wouldn’t it be a needless distraction that hurts patients? In fact, multiple studies found just the opposite — that playing music reduces stress, reduced operating times, and resulted in better-quality technical work. But there are some exceptions, and some surgeons who prefer silence and work better that way.

In a similar manner, while it may seem that bouffant caps are obviously the correct choice, I can personally testify to their discomfort. Wearing them may well result in added stress and reduced technical performance in surgery — meaning worse-off patients.

Barring concrete evidence that the traditional scrub caps actually cause infection, I would support retaining these caps, which are always available to everyone in the OR with short hair, regardless of gender or position.

Dr. Vamsi Aribindi

Houston

The writer is a surgical resident at the Baylor College of Medicine.