British medical journal (Clinical research ed.)
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Br Med J (Clin Res Ed)
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Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) · May 1982
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSterile microenvironment in prevention of wound infection.
A prospective controlled trial was carried out to assess the effect of using a wound isolator on reducing postoperative infection. A total of 291 patients undergoing hip pinning for fractures of the neck of femur entered the trial and were allocated at random to have their wound contained in a wound isolator (study group) or dressed with a standard gamma-irradiated adhesive dressing (control group). ⋯ On several occasions the source of the infective organism was traced to the ward but never to the theatre. The isolator prevented direct contamination and airborne cross-infection of the wound and appreciably reduced the rate of infection.