Preventing Wound Infections with Oxygen

Any maneuver that reduces the incidence of postoperative wound infections provides considerable clinical benefit. Because vascular supply within a wound is disrupted, the regional oxygen tension decreases. Because the oxidative killing capacity of neutrophils depends upon local oxygen tension, this decrease reduces the bactericidal activity of neutrophils within a wound, potentially increasing the risk of infection. This international group of investigators asked whether giving perioperative supplemental oxygen to increase tissue oxygenation can decrease the incidence of surgical wound infection.

Five hundred adults undergoing elective colorectal resection were randomized to receive either 30% or 80% inspired oxygen during the operation and …