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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 65-B, Issue 2, 210-210
Copyright © 1983 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery

Articles

The contaminated skin-knife. A surgical myth

JA Fairclough, IG Mackie, W Mintowt-Czyz, and GE Phillips

The scalpel blades used during 187 operations were cultured. At each procedure the knife used to incise the skin was discarded immediately and a fresh knife was used to complete the operation. The results showed that there was no difference in the bacterial growth between the two knives. From these results it would appear that the practice of changing blades after incising the skin is an unnecessary precaution in the prevention of bacterial contamination of clean wounds.


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Home page
 J Bone Joint Surg BrHome page
O. S. Schindler, R. F. Spencer, and M. D. Smith
Should we use a separate knife for the skin?
J Bone Joint Surg Br, March 1, 2006; 88-B(3): 382 - 385.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


(c) British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery All Rights Reserved
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Hip, Knee, Trauma, Upper limb, Foot & Ankle, Paediatrics, Oncology, Spine, Arthroplasty, General