Marvil Sean C, Tiedeken Nathan C, Hampton David M, Kwok Simon C M, Samuel Solomon P, Sweitzer Brett A
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
J Arthroplasty. 2014 Sep;29(9):1819-22. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2014.04.031. Epub 2014 Apr 29.
This study sought to determine if there was an increased risk for surgical site contamination during stockinette application for a lower extremity surgery draping technique. Utilizing a simulated, sterile surgical field, stockinettes were applied over 10 cadaver lower extremities that were contaminated with non-pathogenic Escherichia coli on the foot. Of those, five specimens were then disinfected with Chloroprep and another 5 did not undergo any disinfection. All the specimens in which the stockinette was applied over a non-prepped foot showed proximal contamination. No contamination occurred in any of the specimens where the foot was disinfected. Stockinette can be a source of surgical site contamination when placed over a non-prepared foot.
