The influence of hair-removal methods on wound infections
J. W. Alexander, J. E. Fischer, M. Boyajian, J. Palmquist and M. J. Morris
The influence of preoperative shaving v clipping on wound infection rate
was studied in 1,013 patients undergoing elective operations at a single
hospital. Patients were prospectively randomized to be either shaved or
clipped the night before or the morning of operation. The AM clipper method
was associated with significantly fewer infections than were the other
methods, both at discharge and at 30-day follow-up. The greatest benefit
was in the group with clean wounds. For each 1,000 patients treated, a
savings of approximately $270,000 could be realized if the AM clipper
method replaced shaving for preoperative hair removal. Preoperative shaving
is deleterious, and the practice should be abandoned.
