Investigation of the impact of routine glove and instrument change before abdominal closure on postoperative wound complications in gynecological and obstetric surgeries: A randomized controlled study

Aim: This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effect of routine glove and instrument change before abdominal closure on postoperative wound complications, specifically surgical site infection (SSI) incidence, in gynecological and obstetric surgeries. Method: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 500 cases consisting of cesarean sections and gynecological operations performed at the Van YYU Faculty of Medicine, Dursun Odabaş Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Postoperative wound healing processes and patients' clinical and laboratory data were analyzed in detail. Results: The findings of the study demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in the group where gloves and instruments were changed before abdominal closure compared to the group where they were not (p<0.001). Additionally, the group with glove and instrument change exhibited a higher rate of normal wound healing assessed by ultrasonography on postoperative day 10, as well as a lower incidence of subcutaneous fluid collection and hematoma. Postoperative CRP levels were also significantly lower in the group with glove and instrument change. Differences were observed between the groups regarding demographic characteristics such as BMI and operation duration, suggesting that higher BMI and longer operation duration may be risk factors for SSI development. Conclusion: This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that routine glove and instrument change before abdominal closure in gynecological and obstetric surgery significantly reduces the incidence of surgical site infections and other wound complications. Our findings support the implementation of glove and instrument change as a routine practice in gynecological and obstetric surgery. Keywords: Surgical Instrument, Gynecological Surgery, Cesarean Section, Surgical Site Infection.