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The dilemma of the wedding band

Daniel T Stein1, Alanna L Pankovich-Wargula

  • 1Coastline Orthopaedic Associates, 11160 Warner Ave, Ste 311, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, USA.

Orthopedics
|March 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Wearing a plain wedding band under surgical gloves does not increase postoperative infection risk. This retrospective study found lower infection rates in the ring group, suggesting other factors pose greater risks.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Infection Control
  • Medical Device Safety

Background:

  • Previous research on operating room jewelry lacks specificity regarding ring types.
  • Concerns exist regarding potential infection risks associated with jewelry worn during surgical procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively evaluate the association between wearing a plain wedding band under surgical gloves and postoperative infection rates.
  • To compare infection rates in surgical procedures with and without a plain metal wedding band worn under gloves.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study analyzing 2127 surgeries performed between January 1998 and June 2002.
  • Data collected on postoperative infections, comparing cases with and without a plain platinum wedding band worn under surgical gloves.
  • Specific attention was given to proper glove donning and ring hygiene protocols.

Main Results:

  • Overall postoperative infection rate was 1.0% (22 infections in 2127 surgeries).
  • The 'no ring' group had an infection rate of 1.6% (987 cases).
  • The 'ring' group had a lower infection rate of 0.53% (1140 cases).

Conclusions:

  • Wearing a plain wedding band under a surgical glove is not correlated with an increased risk of postoperative infections.
  • Finger crevices and nail hygiene may represent more significant infection risks than plain wedding bands.
  • Findings suggest that specific types of jewelry, like plain wedding bands, may not compromise surgical site infection control.

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