What effects do different shaving methods and intraoperative irrigation have on suppurative mediastinitis after bypass operations?
Ko et al. studied the effects of different shaving methods and intraoperative irrigation on suppurative mediastinitis after bypass operations. They found that preoperative shaving with electric razors before skin cleansing with povidone-iodine was associated with a lower rate of postoperative infections compared to shaving with a safety razor. Additionally, intraoperative irrigation of the wound with saline prior to closure reduced the rate of infection even further.