PREVENTION OF POSTOPERATIVE INFECTION METHODS AND RESULTS IN 2,842 ORTHOPEDIC SURGICAL CASES

Postoperative infection, particularly its prevention, is a serious problem which requires constant attention by all surgical specialties. This is especially true in orthopedic operations which are primarily performed on extremities for the restoration of function. The concern for elimination of all possible sources of infection during joint replacement has even led to the employment of the elaborate clean air operation enclosure and techniques, 1, 2, 11). The advent of antibiotics, of course, has resulted in a dramatic decrease in postoperative infectionis. As cited by various investigators, postoperative infections vary between 2% and 6%, while a reduction of below 2% is considered almost unattainable4, 5.8.9). As we consider the crucial conditions necessary for the prevention of postoperative infection are “a completely sterile field” and “the disinfection of subsequent contamination of the surgical field by airborne bacteria”, we have directed our efforts in these directions in all of our operations since 1966. In this paper we describe the methods which we have applied in 2,842 cases to achieve these advances toward the prevention of postoperative infections and our results.