Bacteriologic studies of the use of incision drapes in orthopedic operations

: The usefulness of plastic adhesive drapes for the prophylaxis of wound infections following to orthopedic operations was investigated in a prospectively randomized study including 123 patients. The drape was used in 68 cases, 55 patients were operated without drape. In order to carry out qualitative bacteriological examinations, smears were taken prior to, one and two hours after the beginning and after the end of the operations. Bacterial infestation in the operation area was found in 30 patients (54.5%) operated without drape and in 30 patients (44.1%) in whose operations the drape was employed. Most of the bacteria found were coagulase-negative staphylococci, in some cases corynebacteria and aerobic spore-forming organisms. There were no postoperative wound infections. No evidence of a significant difference was shown by a statistical evaluation of the results using the chi 2 test. The use of incision drapes for the prophylaxis of postoperative wound infections is therefore not necessary in orthopedic surgery.