A Sodium Oxychlorosene-Based Infection Prevention Protocol Safely Decreases Postoperative Wound Infections in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: This study sought to determine the efficacy of a complex multi-institutional sodium oxychlorosene-based infection protocol for decreasing the rate of surgical site infection after instrumented spinal surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD). Infection prevention protocols have not been previously studied in ASD patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of patients who underwent posterior instrumented spinal fusion of the thoracic or lumbar spine for deformity correction between January 1, 2011, and May 31, 2019. The efficacy of a multi-modal infection prevention protocol was examined. The infection prevention bundle consisted of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus testing, chlorhexidine gluconate bathing preoperatively, sodium oxychlorosene rinse, vancomycin powder placement, and surgical drain placement at the time of surgery.

Results: About 254 patients fit the inclusion criteria. Among these patients, nine (3.5%) experienced post-surgical deep-wound infection. Demographics and surgical characteristics amongst infected and non-infected cohorts were similar, although diabetes trended towards being more prevalent in patients who developed a postoperative wound infection (p=0.07). Among 222 patients (87.4%) who achieved a minimum of two years of follow-ups, 184 patients (82.9%) experienced successful fusion, comparing favorably with pseudarthrosis rates in the ASD literature. Rates of pseudarthrosis and proximal junction kyphosis were similar amongst infected and non-infected patients.

Conclusion: An intraoperative comprehensive sodium oxychlorosene-based infection prevention protocol helped to provide a low rate of infection after major deformity correction without negatively impacting other postoperative procedure-related metrics.