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Bacterial Decontamination: Bowel Preparation and Chlorhexidine Bathing

Yadin Bornstein1, Elizabeth C Wick1

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery
|April 28, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Preventing surgical site infections after bowel surgery is crucial. Evidence supports using mechanical bowel preparation, oral antibiotics, and chlorhexidine bathing to reduce bacterial load and improve patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Infectious Disease Prevention
  • Surgical Site Infections

Background:

  • Infectious complications are a major cause of morbidity after bowel surgery.
  • Patient and procedure factors influence infection risk.
  • Surgical site infections (SSIs) are increasingly scrutinized due to data availability and payment models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence supporting key process measures for SSI prevention in colorectal surgery.
  • To advocate for the adoption of evidence-based practices in infection control programs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review on the effectiveness of mechanical bowel preparation, oral antibiotics, and chlorhexidine bathing.
  • Analysis of evidence related to reducing bacterial load at the time of surgery.

Main Results:

  • Compliance with evidence-based process measures is the most effective strategy for SSI prevention.
  • Mechanical bowel preparation, oral antibiotics, and chlorhexidine bathing are effective in reducing bacterial load.
  • Improved postoperative complication data and public reporting highlight the importance of SSI reduction.

Conclusions:

  • The evidence supports the adoption of mechanical bowel preparation, oral antibiotics, and chlorhexidine bathing.
  • These practices are essential components of comprehensive colorectal surgery infection prevention programs.
  • Implementing these measures can significantly reduce postoperative infectious complications.
Keywords:
bowel preparationchlorohexidine bathingoral antibioticspreoperativesurgical site infection

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