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Effectiveness of antimicrobial incise drapes versus cyanoacrylate barrier preparations for surgical sites

Sepehr Bady1, Montri D Wongworawat

  • 1Loma Linda University, 11406 Loma Linda Drive, Suite 218, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|March 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Cyanoacrylate microbial sealant significantly reduced surgical wound contamination in an animal model. Antimicrobial drapes showed no benefit over controls in preventing skin flora contamination.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical infection prevention
  • Microbiology
  • Biomaterials

Background:

  • Surgical wound infections are a major cause of patient morbidity and mortality.
  • Preventing skin flora contamination is crucial for reducing surgical site infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of antimicrobial incise drapes and cyanoacrylate microbial sealant in preventing surgical wound contamination.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of these barriers in an ovine skin model.

Main Methods:

  • An animal model using ovine skin was employed.
  • Staphylococcus aureus was applied to skin, followed by application of antimicrobial drapes or cyanoacrylate sealant.
  • Incisions were made, and bacterial contamination was quantified by counting colony-forming units (CFUs).

Main Results:

  • Cyanoacrylate sealant significantly reduced wound bed contamination (0.3 +/- 0.6 CFUs) compared to controls (82.7 +/- 93.3 CFUs).
  • Antimicrobial incise drapes showed no significant difference in preventing contamination compared to undraped controls (108.3 +/- 90 CFUs).

Conclusions:

  • Cyanoacrylate microbial sealant is effective in preventing surgical wound contamination.
  • Antimicrobial incise drapes did not demonstrate effectiveness in this animal model for preventing skin flora contamination.

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