Which skin preparation strategies reduce surgical-site infection risk?

• A. Antiseptic showers and chlorhexidine cleansing, hair removal only when necessary with clippers, sterile draping, and timely antibiotic prophylaxis.
• B. Hair removal with razors, no antiseptic showers, immediate prophylaxis after incision.
• C. Intraoperative sterile gloving technique only.
• D. Postoperative wound care instructions.

Answer: (A)

Reducing surgical-site infection risk starts with minimizing skin bacteria before the incision and keeping a clean, sterile field. Preoperative antiseptic showers and chlorhexidine cleansing lower the skin’s bacterial load right before surgery. Hair removal should be done only if necessary, and when it is, clippers are used rather than razors to avoid tiny skin injuries that can harbor bacteria. Sterile draping helps maintain the sterile environment, and timely antibiotic prophylaxis ensures adequate tissue levels of antibiotic at the moment the incision is made. Together, these preoperative skin antisepsis and prophylaxis steps provide the strongest protection against SSI. Options that skip antiseptic showers, use razors for hair removal, delay antibiotic prophylaxis until after incision, or rely on intraoperative gloving or postoperative care alone do not address the initial contamination risk and are less effective in preventing infection.