This 2012 narrative review synthesizes evidence on the modifiable factors driving surgical site infections, evaluating antiseptic agents, skin prep protocols, OR behavior, operative duration, hair shaving, adhesive drapes, and patient comorbidities to determine their relative contributions to SSI risk.
When planning any orthopedic case, use chlorhexidine-alcohol prep where meninges are not exposed, minimize operative time, skip the razor, skip the adhesive drape, and treat every unnecessary OR entry or team swap as a measurable infection risk — because the data show each one is.
This 2012 narrative review synthesizes evidence on the modifiable factors driving surgical site infections, evaluating antiseptic agents, skin prep protocols, OR behavior, operative duration, hair shaving, adhesive drapes, and patient comorbidities to determine their relative contributions to SSI risk.
When planning any orthopedic case, use chlorhexidine-alcohol prep where meninges are not exposed, minimize operative time, skip the razor, skip the adhesive drape, and treat every unnecessary OR entry or team swap as a measurable infection risk — because the data show each one is.