Periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) and surgical site infections (SSI) are one of the most severe complications in joint arthroplasty. Decolonization measures prior to elective orthopedic surgeries have shown to reduce the risk of infection especially in patient identified as carriers of S. aureus. However additional screening measures can be difficult to implement in daily routine. The objective was to study the influence of universal decolonization with polihaxanid on SSI rates. Between January 2017 and December 2018 patients scheduled for hip or knee joint arthroplasty in 5 participating orthopedic centers received polyhexanid containing decolonization set consisting of oral, nasal and wipes. Patients were instructed to perform a 5 day decolonization regimen 4 days prior to surgery. SSIs were recorded according to modified CDC criteria for a surveillance period of 90days after surgery.Aim
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