The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a set of guidelines on the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI). The guidelines include 29 recommendations based on 26 reviews of recent evidence.
Among other things, the guidelines recommend that:
- Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis be applied before and during surgery only.
- Orthopaedic surgery patients with known nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus should receive perioperative intranasal applications of mupirocin 2% ointment with or without a combination of chlorhexidine gluconate body wash.
- Surgical patients not be shaved (with hair removal, if necessary, performed by clipper only).
Patients bathe or shower prior to surgery with either plain or antimicrobial soap.
