Irvine, Calif.-based Hoag Orthopedics has led a new study demonstrating use of chlorhexidine gluconate irrigation during total-shoulder arthroplasty can halve bacterial infection risk.
The study found that irrigation can cut down on Cutibacterium acnes contamination rates, according to an April 28 press release sent to Becker’s.
Hafiz Kassam, MD, medical director of shoulder surgery at Hoag Orthopedic Institute, led the level 1 randomized controlled trial.
The trial looked at data from 126 patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasties, assigning them to receive either standard saline irrigation or 0.05% CHG irrigation before implantation. The saline group faced more than double the risk of deep C. acnes contamination compared with the CHG group.
Hoag sports medicine surgical fellows Abhay Mathur, MD, and Patrick Saunders, MD, were co-authors of the study.
