Newer infection prevention techniques , such as preoperative antiseptic scrubbing , are affected and may help reduce the infection rate , while traditionally accepted methods of prophylaxis such as laminar-flow operating rooms and body exhaust suits may raise the infection rate
Despite advances in our underst and ing of surgical site infections following total joint arthroplasty , this serious surgical complication continues to represent a substantial economic burden for the patient , the treating institution and the healthcare system .
After increasing for the past decade , infection rates have stabilized at 1.6 % ; however , the total cost is projected to increase with the total number of revision procedures performed .
Ultraclean air and antibiotics for prevention of postoperative infection. A multicenter study of 8,052 joint replacement operations.
To determine the value of ultraclean air in operating rooms , 8,052 operations for total hip- or knee-joint replacement were followed up for 1 - 4 years . For operations done in ultraclean air , bacterial contamination of the wound , deep joint sepsis , and major wound sepsis were substantially less than for operations done in conventionally ventilated rooms . Sepsis was also less frequent when prophylactic antibiotics had been given . The two pre caution s acted independently so that the incidence of sepsis after operation in ultraclean air and with antibiotics was much less than that when either was used alone . Wound sepsis was associated with an enhanced risk of joint sepsis . Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest joint pathogen , but infections with other organisms , often considered to be of low pathogenicity , were almost as numerous . Most S. aureus infections were traced to sources in the operating room
Newer infection prevention techniques , such as preoperative antiseptic scrubbing , are affected and may help reduce the infection rate , while traditionally accepted methods of prophylaxis such as laminar-flow operating rooms and body exhaust suits may raise the infection rate
Despite advances in our underst and ing of surgical site infections following total joint arthroplasty , this serious surgical complication continues to represent a substantial economic burden for the patient , the treating institution and the healthcare system .
After increasing for the past decade , infection rates have stabilized at 1.6 % ; however , the total cost is projected to increase with the total number of revision procedures performed .