Current perioperative practice patterns for minimizing surgical site infection during rhinologic procedures

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Infection Control
• Rhinologic Surgery

Background:

• Limited literature exists on best practices for reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) in rhinologic surgery.
• Surgical site infections are a significant concern in all surgical specialties, including otolaryngology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current perioperative infection control measures used by rhinologic surgeons.
• To establish a baseline of current practices for infection control in rhinologic procedures.
• To identify variations in practice based on procedure setting and type.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to members of the American Rhinologic Society (ARS).
• The survey queried current infection control practices for various rhinologic procedures.
• Practices were compared between operating room (OR) and office settings.

Main Results:

• Most surgeons use sterile gowning/draping and surgical scrubs for OR rhinologic procedures but rarely use facial antimicrobial prep.
• In-office procedures show significantly less adherence to sterile techniques compared to OR procedures.
• Endoscopic skull-base surgeries demonstrated the highest adherence to infection control measures (e.g., antibiotics, sterile gowning/draping, surgical scrubs).
• Antibiotic use varied widely for procedures other than endoscopic skull-base surgery, despite a lack of demonstrated benefit.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in perioperative infection control measures among rhinologists.
• Practice site (OR vs. office) is a key factor influencing the stringency of infection control measures.
• These findings provide a baseline for future research aimed at standardizing infection control in rhinologic surgery.