Preoperative whole body disinfection--a controlled clinical study.

Preoperative whole body washing with chlorhexidine scrub was compared with soap for its effect on prevention of wound infection in clean surgery. Two thousand and fifteen patients were studied using chlorhexidine scrub, placebo or plain soap. The overall infection rate in the control and placebo groups was 12.8% (p less than 0.05) and 11.7% as opposed to 9% (p less than 0.05) in the treated group. Three per cent fewer infections were found in treated 'clean surgery' patients, and the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus infections was reduced from 6% (bar soap) to 3% (chlorhexidine). The saving in bed occupancy from prevention of infection is a significant cost-saving.