Repairing skin lacerations: does sterile technique matter?
Patients with uncomplicated skin lacerations who attended a rural family-practice clinic were randomly assigned to have their cut repaired using either full sterile technique or a surgically-clean technique. No significant differences were found in the rate of healing or in the incidence of complications. It was concluded that full sterile technique is not needed to repair simple skin lacerations, and that to suture the lacerations using a surgically clean technique would save both time and money.
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Worrall
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