Conclusions This systemic review shows that preoperative interventions can be beneficial in improving wound healing and scar formation .
In selected cases , wound healing was found to benefit from a higher preoperative body temperature , topical vitamin E application , and low patient stress levels .
Background Poor wound healing and scar formation  remain critical problems in daily surgical practice .
Generally , most attention is paid to intra- and postoperative interventions to improve wound healing after surgery , while preoperative interventions remain unsatisfactorily explored .
Objectives In this systematic review , the available literature on the beneficial effects of preoperative interventions on wound healing and scar formation have been summarized and compared .
A comparison of two skin preps used in cardiac surgical procedures.
Postoperative surgical site infections contribute significantly to increased patient morbidity and mortality rates and unnecessary hospital costs . Effective and efficient preoperative patient skin preparation is an important perioperative nursing intervention that decreases the number of wound contaminants and reduces the risks for postoperative surgical site infections . This study examined the effectiveness and time and material costs of two preoperative patient skin prep methods ( ie ,  isopropyl alcohol prep/iodophor-impregnated adhesive drape method , iodophor scrub and paint prep/plain adhesive drape method )  . The isopropyl alcohol prep/iodophor-impregnated adhesive drape method clinical ly was as effective as the iodophor scrub and paint prep/plain adhesive drape method , more cost-effective when time and material s were compared , and less cost-effective when material s alone were compared . To make appropriate decisions about the use of preoperative patient skin prep methods , perioperative nurse managers and staff members need to examine and determine whether costs in time or material s have the greater impact on their surgical setting
Conclusions This systemic review shows that preoperative interventions can be beneficial in improving wound healing and scar formation .
In selected cases , wound healing was found to benefit from a higher preoperative body temperature , topical vitamin E application , and low patient stress levels .
Background Poor wound healing and scar formation  remain critical problems in daily surgical practice .
Generally , most attention is paid to intra- and postoperative interventions to improve wound healing after surgery , while preoperative interventions remain unsatisfactorily explored .
Objectives In this systematic review , the available literature on the beneficial effects of preoperative interventions on wound healing and scar formation have been summarized and compared .