Alcohol Versus Chlorhexidine With and Without Water

Efficacy of the Use of Alcohol-bases Solutions Versus Chlorhexidine With or Without Water for Hand Sanitation Prior to Surgical Procedure

Currently at NYU institutions, providine-iodine and chlorhexidine medicated soaps are available as hand disinfection options. The purpose of this study is to determine the relative efficacy of traditional hand scrubs with chlorhexidine with or without rinsing with water after scrubbing is complete versus dry hand rubs with alcohol.

No current recommendations exist advocating the use of Providine-iodine or Chlorhexidine. Providine-iodine is safe and effective at reducing skin colonization with gram positive and negative bacteria, mycobacterium tuberculosis, fungi and viruses. Chlorhexidine similarly disrupts cellular membranes. It is bacteriocidal and bacteriostatic and has immediate and more lasting effect than iodine because it can bind to the stratum corneum of the skin and is effective against gram positive and negative organisms, lipophilic viruses and yeasts.

All subjects who are employees of the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and have experience with surgical hand disinfection will be asked to enroll. Subjects will be randomized into one of three study arms using an online randomizer: (1) the standard chlorhexidine with water rinse, (2) chlorhexidine without water rinse(experimental), and (3) standard chlorhexidine followed by sterillium hand rub. After hand disinfection protocol has been completed, each subject will have each hand cultured three times using a cotton swab culture stick and sent to the microbiology lab for processing

Inclusion Criteria:

• Orthopedic resident or surgical employee of NY U
• Over 21 years of age
• Procedural knowledge of correct aseptic scrub technique

Exclusion Criteria:

• No surgical experience
• Under 21 years of age
• Refusal to consent