Intra-operative recolonisation

The project has the aim to measure the time to recolonisation of the skin after
disinfection with chlorhexidine solution in ethanol as well as to confirm whether plastic adhesive drape or microbial sealant facilitates skin recolonisation and enhances bacterial growth. To measure this, a single-blinded, randomized, controlled study has been conducted in 140 patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or/and valve repair via median sternotomy.  Before this RCT study a pilot study with healthy volunteers the recolonisation of the skin with or without plastic adhesive drape was performed in which we found that recolonisation of the skin of the chest occurred earlier using plastic adhesive drape compared with bare skin, and that  there were significantly more positive cultures from the skin with the plastic adhesive drape than
without.