[Discontinuing postoperative wound dressings]

The influence of postoperative dressings on wound healing was investigated. Clean and potentially contaminated operation wounds were subdivided at random into a group with dressings until the sutures were removed or a group with dressings during the first 24 hours after operation only. No significant differences in the incidences of wound infections were observed in the two groups. The majority of the patients treated with dressings for a brief period only did not desire prolonged periods with dressings after possible future operations.