Assessment of wound contamination during surgery: a preliminary report comparing vertical laminar flow and conventional theatre systems.

As part of an on-going trial comparing wound infection in "ultra-clean" air and conventional theatres, wound contamination is assessed by a simple wash-out technique. The importance of wound contamination in relation to subsequent wound infection is emphasized. The wash-out technique used is simple to perform and minimizes the risk of contamination. The preliminary results confirm that cleaner air does result in less contaminated wounds.