Abstract
With the goal of reducing rates of surgical site infections in our spine patients, we initiated a trial to investigate the impact of adding perisurgical nasal decolonization involving patients and surgical and nursing staff. We combined immediate presurgical application of a nonantibiotic alcohol-based nasal antiseptic with existing chlorhexidine bath or wipes in a comprehensive pre- and postoperative decolonization protocol. Mean infection rates were significantly decreased by 81% from 1.76 to 0.33 per 100 surgeries during the 15-month trial, when compared with the prior 9-month baseline.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 554-556 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | American Journal of Infection Control |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 1 2017 |
Keywords
- Alcohol-based nasal antiseptic
- Anterior nares
- Perioperative nasal decolonization
- Spine surgery
- Staff nasal decolonization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Health Policy
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases