The Efficacy of a Novel Surgical Device in Preventing Intraoperative Wound Contamination in an In Vivo Porcine Model

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a morbid and costly complication in abdominal surgery. Topical antibiotic delivery via intraoperative irrigation and barrier wound protection are strategies for preventing SSI. We tested the safety and efficacy of a novel wound protector device with an integrated fluid irrigation platform in a porcine model.

A simulated colorectal resection model was designed and performed on adult female pigs with a standardized concentration of 10⁹ colony-forming units (CFU) of Escherichia coli administered to the wound site in 10 mL of normal saline (n = 7). The device was tested intraoperatively with and without irrigation with gentamicin-containing irrigant solution. Swab and tissue samples were obtained in addition to peripheral blood samples. Quantitative culture analysis was performed in addition to histological and immunohistochemical analysis and gentamicin concentration measurements.

There were no adverse events observed in the animals. Tissue protected by the device yielded exponentially lower levels of E. coli growth compared to exposed tissue, with a mean 1 × 10² CFU/swab. Use of the device, both with and without irrigation, was associated with an exponential reduction in quantitative bacterial load compared to the control wounds with no device, with limited growth after wound closure in the pigs receiving irrigation. Histology and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining analysis revealed no significant damage to tissue. Serum gentamicin levels remained below the clinical threshold and decreased over time.

This in vivo study suggests safety and efficacy of a novel device for the prevention of intraoperative wound contamination.