title: Prospective Study of Wound Infections in Mohs Micrographic Surgery Using a Single Set of Instruments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has a low rate of surgical site infections (SSI). To date, there are variations in the measures surgeons take to prevent SSI, although these may be costly without benefit to patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the rate of SSI in MMS performed with a clean technique using a single set of instruments for both tumor extirpation and reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The author prospectively evaluated 338 patients undergoing MMS using a single set of instruments for SSI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 7 SSI among 332 patients, with an overall infection rate of 2.1% (7/332). Graft closures had an SSI rate of 3.1% (2/64) and flap closures had an SSI rate of 1.9% (5/268).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a single set of sterile surgical instruments for both the tumor extirpation and repair stages of MMS leads to cost savings without harming patients and maintains SSI rates within an acceptable range.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; †Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eiman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nasseri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017046:Cost Savings; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015580:Mohs Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology