Contamination of the Surgical Field with Propionibacterium acnes in Primary Shoulder Arthroplasty

Conclusions:
P. acnes is a common contaminant of the surgical field in primary shoulder arthroplasty. The subdermal layer may be the source of this contamination, and the prevalence of P. acnes in the surgical wound may be due to the surgeon’s manipulation with gloves and instruments. Our findings are consistent with those regarding the increased rates of P. acnes bacterial load and intraoperative growth in male patients compared with female patients.

Clinical Relevance:
P. acnes is likely to be spread throughout the surgical field from the subdermal layer via soft-tissue handling by the surgeon and instruments. Strategies need to be utilized to minimize this contact and to reduce the chance of colonization.

Source: JBJS - October 18, 2016 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Falconer, T. M., Baba, M., Kruse, L. M., Dorrestijn, O., Donaldson, M. J., Smith, M. M., Figtree, M. C., Hudson, B. J., Cass, B., Young, A. A. Tags: Shoulder Scientific Articles Source Type: research