Assessment of wound contamination during surgery: A preliminary report comparing vertical laminar flow and conventional theatre systems

Abstract

As part of an on-going trial comparing wound infection in ‘ultra-clean’ air and conventional theatres, wound contamination is assessed by a simple wash-out technique. The importance of wound contamination in relation to subsequent wound infection is emphasized. The wash-out technique used is simple to perform and minimizes the risk of contamination. The preliminary results confirm that cleaner air does result in less-contaminated wounds.