Nip it in the bud. Controlling wound infection with preoperative shaving

1. Postoperative wound sepsis can double the normal patient hospital stay and significantly add to the cost of hospitalization. Close skin shaving prior to surgery (especially if done the night prior to surgery) is a contributing factor to postoperative wound sepsis rates. 2. This problem can be managed by selecting a preoperative shaving technique that rids the skin surface of hair, soils, and microorganisms, but still leaves the epidermal layer intact as a natural barrier against opportunistic microorganisms. 3. Hair removal at the surgical site is not the cause of postoperative wound sepsis. Preoperative techniques that remove hair shafts and not epidermal layers are important in managing this problem in the operating room.