Lifting incise drapes off the skin during wound closure can cause contamination

Area of Science:

• Surgical site infection prevention
• Medical device efficacy
• Orthopedic surgery

Background:

• Incise drapes are commonly used in surgery to create a sterile field.
• They are designed to adhere to skin and minimize bacterial migration.
• The effectiveness of incise drapes in preventing contamination during orthopedic procedures requires ongoing evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the bacterial contamination under incise drapes during hip and knee arthroplasty.
• To determine the incidence of bacterial migration despite incise drape application.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for surgical skin preparation and drape management.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 49 hip and knee arthroplasty procedures.
• Collection of skin swabs from under incise drapes before and after application.
• Microbiological analysis of swabs to detect bacterial presence and type.

Main Results:

• Bacterial contamination was detected under incise drapes in 4 cases (8.1%) of the procedures.
• The identified contaminants were primarily skin flora.
• No significant difference in contamination rates was noted pre- or post-drape application in the abstract.

Conclusions:

• While incise drapes offer a barrier, they do not completely eliminate the risk of bacterial contamination.
• Re-application of antiseptic cleaning is recommended if the incise drape is removed during surgery.
• Maintaining sterile technique, including potential re-preparation, is vital for reducing surgical site infections.