Sink-based, water-dependent surgical scrub performed by surgeons before an operation
has historically been synonymous with surgery due to its ubiquitous presence in hospitals
and popular culture. However, because self-dispensed alcohol-based rubs are comparable
when evaluating bacteriologic and clinical outcomes, there now exist 2 options for
ensuring hand antisepsis before an operation.
1
,2
Sink-based, water-dependent scrub should take between 3 and 5 minutes and typically
includes some antiseptic solution such as povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine. Conversely,
self-dispensed, alcohol-based rub involves an initial washing of the hands and cleaning
of the fingernails for the first scrub of the day or when the hands are visibly soiled
followed by use of self-dispensed alcohol-based rub thereafter.
3
Given potential water waste, pathogen transmission, time utilization, and occupational
hazard imposed by sink-based scrub, it is time to reevaluate whether sink-based, water-dependent
scrubbing remains individually and institutionally responsible when compared to alcohol-based
rub.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- Operating room hand preparation: to scrub or to rub?.Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2019; 20: 129-134
- Hand hygiene: an evidence-based review for surgeons.Int J Surg. 2006; 4: 53-65
- Hand-rubbing with an aqueous alcoholic solution vs traditional surgical hand-scrubbing and 30-day surgical site infection rates: a randomized equivalence study.JAMA. 2002; 288: 722-727
- The green operating room: simple changes to reduce cost and our carbon footprint.Am Surg. 2013; 79: 666-671
- Global operating theatre distribution and pulse oximetry supply: an estimation from reported data.Lancet. 2010; 376: 1055-1061
- Two-phase hospital-associated outbreak of mycobacterium abscessus: investigation and mitigation.Clin Infect Dis. 2017; 64: 902-911
- Invasive mycobacterium abscessus complex infection after cardiac surgery: epidemiology, management, and clinical outcomes.Clin Infect Dis. 2021; 72: 1232-1240
Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 23, 2021
Accepted:
June 17,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
