The Effect of Number of Showers With 4% Chlorhexidine Gluconate on Prevention of Surgical Site Infections

Lumbar disc herniation surgery is performed in two ways: open discectomy and microdiscectomy. In open discectomy, the skin incision is made large enough to expose the lamina and to create an area where the retractor can work with the naked eye. After the lamina is exposed, the correct distance is determined by feeling the sacrum with the fingers. Scopy assistance may be required in suspicious cases. Bone tissue is removed from the lamina to the beginning of the ligamentum flavum without damaging the facet joints. Then the ligament is removed and discectomy is performed by pushing the dura and nerve root inwards. In microdiscectomy, a smaller incision (1.5-2 cm) is made. Special retractors or tubes are inserted. Partial hemilaminotomy and discectomy are performed using microscope and microsurgical instruments. Although the incidence of SSI after LDH surgery is not known with certainty, patients usually have various potential risk factors for CAI such as advanced age, malnutrition due to loss of appetite, and steroid use. All surgical patients are at risk for developing SSI. For patients, SSI can cause pain and discomfort, financial losses, and impaired quality of life. These infections can lead from a simple incision site abscess with purulent discharge to a complex infection that can contribute to a life-threatening condition and possible morbidity. Therefore, accurate monitoring of SSI and confirmation of the diagnosis of SSI are very important and vital for patients. The main causative microorganisms of SSI in the preoperative period are gram-positive cocci, which are common bacterial colonies of the skin. Therefore, although WHO recommends showering with normal or antiseptic soap before surgical intervention, it is thought that the use of antiseptic soap will be more effective to destroy a larger number of skin pathogens both before and during surgical intervention.. For this reason, it was deemed appropriate to wash the surgical areas of the patients with antiseptic soap containing 4% chlorhexidine gluconate before surgery. In the literature, there are studies showing that many factors related to the perioperative process and surgical procedure increase the risk of developing SSI. Among these, there are studies showing that bathing with an antimicrobial agent before surgical intervention reduces the overall bacterial load in the skin's own flora, thus reducing the risk of SSI. Although there are evidence-based recommendations and some improved care practices to prevent SSI in the literatüre, there is no standardised practice with proven efficacy today. This study is a randomised controlled experimental design and requires a team approach consisting of physicians and nurses in line with the existing evidence recommendations. Therefore, it is thought that showering the operation area with antiseptic soap containing 4% Chlorhexidine Gluconate before lumbar disc herniation surgery will be effective in reducing SSI.