The preoperative skin shave in neurosurgery: is it justified?

Shaving the scalp prior to surgery is a very common practice. Out of 105 cases operated upon without skin shave at the Royal London Hospital, only one became infected (0.95%). A search into the history of aseptic surgery shows that there are no scientific groundsforthepractice ofshaving.Anexaminationofcontemporary practicesworldwide showsthatthere isa greaterrealizationthatpreoperativeskin shaving doesnotconferany benefitagainstpostoperativewoundinfection and that, paradoxically, it may lead to higher rates of wound infection due to the epidermal injury that it inflicts.