Evaluation of three systems for preoperative hair removal in clean operations

ABSTRACT

Seventy five male patients were subjected to inguinal herniorraphy. The hair was removed preoperatively by 3 different system each applied to 25 patients. Group A patients were shaved the night before operation, group B were shaved the morning of operation and group C were subjected to depilatory cream the night before operation. Purbulent wound infection occurred in 16%, 4% and 4% in group A, B and C respectively. The mean preoperative bacterial count was 128, 28 and 32/cm[2] in group A, B and C in this orer. All wound infections of group A and B were caused by Staph. aureus that were present preoperatively [auto-infection], while the sngle infection in group C was caused by E. coli not present preoperatively and hence unrelated to the method of skin preparation. 36% of group A and 40% of group B patients complained of discomfort and itching due to hair regrowth; while 28% of group C patients, being males, did not welcome the use of cream as a method of hair removal