Objective: This prospective observation sought to determine if scalpel blades used for abdominal skin incisions in dogs are a significant source of bacterial contamination, and if these blades should be changed prior to use in deeper dissection. Results: Scalpel blades were swabbed for culture prior to skin incision as a control, and then again following ventral midline abdominal skin incision in a total of 75 dogs. Culture and sensitivity results were compared with review of medical records for any evidence of pre-or postoperative incisional surgical site infection/inflammation (SSI). Of the 75 blades swabbed after skin incision, only 2 (2.7%) had positive culture results. Of the 69 patients that survived to suture removal, there was evidence of SSI in 6 patients (8.7%), only one of which had a positive scalpel blade culture (16.7%). Neither the use of postoperative antibiotics nor positive scalpel blade culture results were good predictors of whether a patient would develop a SSI. Results of this pilot study suggest that there is no bacteriological evidence to support the use of a separate blade for deep dissection in routine surgical procedures.
CITATION STYLE
Lioce, C. G., Davis, E. C., Bennett, J. W., Townsend, F. I., & Bloch, C. P. (2019). Scalpel blade contamination and risk of postoperative surgical site infection following abdominal incisions in dogs. BMC Research Notes, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-019-4494-7
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.