Arch Surg Chicago
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The influence of hair-removal methods on wound infections.
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. ⋯ 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.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Early positive end-expiratory pressure in the adult respiratory distress syndrome.
This prospective study was designed to determine the effect of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) instituted early in the course of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Seventy-nine (7%) of 1,200 patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit were selected because of a high probability that ARDS would develop, and were randomized into two treatment groups. ⋯ Fewer pulmonary deaths occurred in this group (11% vs 29%; P = .02), and there was less pulmonary morbidity. This study supports the efficacy of early low-level PEEP in the treatment of patients for whom there is a high probability that ARDS will develop.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Influence of operating room surface contamination on surgical wounds: a prospective study.
The influence of operating room contamination on wound infection rates in clean, clean-contaminated, contaminated, and septid procedures was studied by a prospective randomized study of 2,020 surgical wounds. Operating room surface contamination was assessed by the RODAC bacterial plate method. Control rooms uniformly received Wet-Vac cleaning between operations. ⋯ The difference in surface contamination between groups of experimental and control rooms was found to be significant at the P less than .05 level. Patients operated on in experimental and control rooms were followed up postoperatively to assess whether they experienced wound infection. No statistically significant differences in wound infection rates were found between experimental and control room operations as total groups, clean procedures, or operations of long duration.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
An evaluation of intermittent positive pressure breathing in the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications.