orthopedic surgeons at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
published a study showing that irrigating a surgical wound with a
dilute solution of Betadine for 2 minutes significantly reduced infec-
tion rates. Betadine's not toxic to tissue, it helps to kill the bacteria
that the joint has been exposed to during surgery and it's inexpensive.
A 2-minute wash after joint replacement is definitely worth it.
The future of infection prevention in joint replacement surgery
may involve suture and dressings impregnated with silver, which has
natural antibacterial properties. Implant cement that contains antibi-
otics is another recently available option. Most newer materials,
however, are significantly more expensive than traditional materials,
which may prove cost-prohibitive for smaller facilities and in cases
that don't involve high-risk patients. As they're used more, though,
and if they prove their effectiveness, we could see more competitive
pricing.
OSM
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 3 5
Dr. Peace (wpeace@panoramaortho.com) is an orthopedic surgeon who special-
izes in total hip and knee replacements at the Pano-rama Orthopedics and Spine
Center in Golden, Colo.
